The Golden Age Of Narnia
by DRACON1US
Summary: The pevensies have been ruling Narnia for four years. Edmund is forced to face his past, Peter learns the hardships of being High King, Susan finds a new friend and Lucy tries to understand her relationship with Mr.Tumnus. T for mild swearing and violence
1. Chapter 1

The trees were too thick for her to see past, but as she pushed through the leaves and branches the feeling in her chest intensified.

The feeling, the constant ghost in her heart of something forgotten.

She could see a shadow of something, and the feeling turned into a flaming sensation in her stomach. The excitement was too much for her, all she could do was keep on going... going toward this thing that she knew was the answer to her questions.

The feeling never left her, never. It was a part of her that was missing, she didn't know if she liked it or wanted it, but she needed to know what it was. Certain words would trigger the feeling and she knew that they all meant something but every time she tried to piece it together the ideas would slowly slip away.

She looked up and saw that the shadow was fading. She stopped struggling through the branches, she knew that this was just like her feeling. The harder she tried to reach the answer the farther away it would fade. Maybe she had to let it go and fate would bring her to see the shadow.

The lamp post...

* * *

Lucy woke with a start. She had figured something out. She racked her brain in frustration trying to remember what it was. It was fresh in her brain and it felt like she knew what it was, only it was foggy and the fog just got thicker and thicker.

"Think! Think! Think!" Lucy muttered to herself.

It was just like the dream, when she tried to remember , she started forgetting it altogether. She had a vague memory about her struggling to get somewhere… but where? When she tried to remember the details she started forgetting the dream altogether. _Where was I trying to go? Why did I want to get there so much? Surely this isn't important enough for me to fret over, _she thought to herself. Her frustration turned into curiosity which turned into disinterest. She saw her sister to still be asleep and she decided to get an early start to the day.

She changed out of her red satin night gown into one of her winter dresses. It was a deep blue with white embroidery along the bottom hem and her lower arms. She put on her slippers and didn't bother brushing her hair. If her sister were awake she would never let Lucy leave in such a state. She was walking through the hallways of their private quarters in the castle when she heard footsteps.

Her brother Peter rounded the corner and was so engrossed in some letter that he didn't even see her. As he walked by she snuck up behind him and followed him to the dining hall, which wasn't a problem because it happened to be where she was heading. As he entered the room he stopped put the letter in his pocket and opened the door. Lucy barely snuck in before he shut the door with out looking back.

The dining hall was nothing more then a small room with two tables. Before the children went to the dining room there was an elaborate array of delicious foods set out for them.This morning there was an assortment of meat pies, scrambled eggs, pastries, bacon, fried ham, bagels, muffins and any sort of breakfast you could imagine. In front of the table of food was a small square table with a pale blue table cloth with a white lace covering. Four chairs, four plates, four glasses, four forks, four knives and four napkins. No room for anyone else but the children, and that was the way they wanted it.

This was one of the only places where the four children could simply be a family without people constantly telling them of all the things they had to do, all the people they had to see and all the problems they had to fix

Peter went to the table of food and took a cup of tea, but nothing to eat. When he went to sit in his chair he found his sister, Lucy, to already be sitting in it.

After getting over his surprise he laughed and asked "Have you been following me? Honestly I didn't hear you at all, who knew _you_ could be that quiet?" he joked.

"Are you saying that I am _loud?_ Now where ever did you get that idea?" she said knowing full well she was easily the loudest of the four. Lucy got out of Peters chair and walked over to the table of food and picked out the crunchiest bacon, toast and a glass of orange juice.

"Why are you up so early anyways? Usually you and Susan are last to come in." Peter said.

"Well," she paused trying to remember why she woke up, "I woke up in the middle of a dream, atleast I think so. I don't see why else I would have woken up."

"What sort of dream? Not a bad one I hope," Peter asked after getting up again and beginning to butter an English muffin.

"Well I don't remember exactly, but anyways what were you reading in the hall," Peter paused while buttering his muffin, "It looked like a letter, may I see it?" asked Lucy

She could tell even without seeing his face that something was distressing him.

"I'd rather wait until Ed came…" he said uncertainly.

"Well then, it can't be good can it," she said with a sigh.

"What does that mean?" said Peter who was trying not to make eye contact with his sister, a dead give away to the fact he didn't want to share what was in this letter.

"Well when ever something bad happens you try and protect Susan and I, you try to deal with it before we get a chance to find out. But you know we're not little girls anymore, we haven't been for a long time," how long had it been? The feeling came back…

Peter smiled knowing he couldn't lie to Lucy or to his other siblings either. "You're right Lu, I'll explain everything when Edmund and Susan come. And it's not as bad as you think. Nothing to worry about, just something to think about is all," he said this time with a smile.

They didn't talk much as they ate their breakfast, about a half hour later Edmund walked in, "Good Morning," he said sleepily, "You're not usually up Lucy," he said while getting his breakfast in the same fashion Peter and Lucy had.

In another ten minutes Susan appeared looking radiant (as always) in a pale green dress, and I can assure you that her hair was brushed to perfection unlike Lucy's currently unruly locks. Susan saw Lucy's hair and Lucy could tell she was trying to be polite and not make a sneer comment.

The four of them had changed quite a bit. Peter was 19. His pale blonde hair had turned to a very light brown. He was now just over six feet tall. Susan was 17 and had become a most beautiful woman. She had grown out her dark hair and it was now half way down her back in loose curls. Edmund, who was 15 certainly didn't look like a boy anymore, he was incredibly handsome with the same color hair as his sisters. To his dismay he was still shorter then his brother. And Lucy, her body had started to loose its childish shape and her face was thinning out so she was looking more and more like Susan every day. Her 13 birthday was coming up.

Edmund seemed to sense that his brother was worried about something, but he didn't want to push Peter to tell him until the girls were gone. But before he could do so Peter pulled out a letter from his pocket and put it in the middle of the table.

"This was sent to us from the beavers, I received it from a blue jay outside my window this very morning. It's nothing bad persay, it's some things that they've been seeing in the woods. But we definetly need to talk about it," Peter said while gesturing to Edmund to read the letter.

"But Peter what have they been seeing? If it's bad you know you have to tell us," Susan now turned to Edmund waiting for his explanation.

Edmund took in a deep breath, "They've been seeing people, sons of Adam I mean. People like us."

"Well what's the problem then? If they're like us then we should be excited," Lucy said confused as to what the fuss was.

"Lucy," Peter began, "Not every world is as nice as Narnia. We all know the White Witch was evil and she came from a different world. These people could be here to harm us, they could be trying to invade or take over Narnia, we just don't know."

There was a long pause after Peter had finished. Susan looked expectingly at her brothers waiting for one of them to say something, anything.

Edmund broke the silence, "Then we'll just have to find out ourselves won't we," he said looking at Peter, after all nothing was decided until the High King approved it.

"You're right. We'll leave tomorrow and prepare a small troop of men, only as a safety precaution of course," Peter added in response to Susan's scared look, "If it's what we're afraid of and we need more men, then we'll trust you two to get someone on the task. We'll leave Orion as the possible general if needed," Peter said sounding brave and confident like the king he was.

"But Peter, you can't leave us! I don't want to be separated from you, can we come too?" said Lucy desperately.

"No Lucy, we can't. We're women and it's no place for us," Susan said sadly.

"She's right Lucy, I'm sorry but we have to go," Peter said trying not to meet Lucy's tearful eyes.

Lucy turned to her last sibling, Edmund, "But what if something were to happen to you, we wouldn't even know! And I'll miss you terribly," she said now standing up in her frustration.

Edmund pulled Lucy onto his lap, "We'll send a letter every day, I promise. And I'll miss you too Lucy. But if anything were to happen to you... well, I wouldn't be able to bear it," he said. She began crying into his shoulder and he looked at Peter who was looking sadly down at his plate and at Susan who was close to tears also.

The children remembered the last time they had been apart, when the boys were fighting a gruesome battle against the White Witch, Edmund had barely made it out of that battle and Peter could easily have been killed. The girls silently begged Aslan that this wouldn't turn into anything like that.


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, so this is my first fanfiction. Reviews are very appreciated (be nice please!).

* * *

The next day was spent in sad silence for Susan. The brothers were busy all day gathering a troop and preparing for their journey to the western wood. Lucy spent most of the day in the castle hovering about the boys and still begging for them to stay.

Susan was too annoyed by Lucy and too sad to see the boys to stay in the castle all day. She packed a bundle of food for lunch and rode off into the woods a few miles away from the castle and the shore. She rode at a fast trot until she reached the wood where she began to be engrossed in her own thoughts.

Susan thought of Peter and Edmund. Peter was an adult and it scared her, she felt like that path wasn't far in the future for her. But Edmund, though he looked like a man he wasn't, and Susan knew it. You could still catch him playing petty pranks on the girls and sneaking extra cookies from the kitchens when he thought no one was looking. In times of war however he did seem to have a sort of maturity and dignity that shocked her. She remembered how he acted the same as he was now during the battle against the white witch. His courage had been incredible, he had been just as impressive (if not more so) then Peter. But pure courage and strength weren't enough, Peter had the intelligence and the attitude to rule his people and control an army. Peter was organized and efficient which is what made him an excellent leader. Susan was so proud of them both, which is why she trusted them to be safe in their journey to the western wood.

She hadn't been paying any attention to the reigns and she was a bit deeper into the woods then she had intended to go. She decided to sit for a bit and eat her lunch. She stopped her horse and let her roam around the woods; the horse (named Araglyn) was not one to run off. She sat beneath a large tree and opened her bundle; she brought with her an apple, bread, cheese, some fish wrapped in a waxy paper and water.

She loved her family dearly but she wanted more then that, she wanted a friend her own age who she could talk about things that she couldn't talk about with Lucy. But she just couldn't seem to get close to any of the animals or beasts in the castle. She longed for people like them, humans. She especially wanted a man to dwell on.

A noise from just behind the tree snapped her out thoughts. She jumped up and saw a beautiful grey cat. Its fur wasn't grey like an old mans it was a deep grey that seemed to be richer then any color she had ever seen. She couldn't help from admiring it, but it surprised her when the cat spoke to her.

"Beg your pardon," he seemed embarrassed, it began to walk the other way.

"Oh no dear cat, please stay and tell me who you are?" Susan said regaining her manners.

"Oh you don't need to be polite to a mere street cat. If you couldn't tell I was just trying to snatch that fish, I apologize for my mischievous ways. I haven't eaten since yesterday morning when I happened to walk into a very weak old hare. Do forgive me for trying to steal your lunch, I fear that I have insulted you with my petty attempt at theft, and with that I will leave before I cause you any more trouble," he said while walking off towards where he came.

"Oh no! It is no bother to me, you may have my fish. And you may have my water too. You are quite eloquent for a "street cat" as you say and your fur is incredibly beautiful. Please kind feline, what is your name?" she asked pushing the fish in its direction.

"You are too kind! My name is Thomas, Tom if you wish it," said the grey cat humbly walking over to her and giving a sort of bow where he put one paw In front of the other and lowered his head, "and what may I ask is your name fair lady of the wood?"

"Susan… Queen Susan that is," she said nervously hoping he wouldn't treat her differently then any other "lady of the wood" because of her title.

"Why is it really Queen Susan herself? What an honor, well met Queen Susan and my respects to your royal siblings. I assure you I knew you were beautiful but I never realized that you were the beautiful queen herself, if I had known then I would never have tried to take your fish. But it did smell oh so delightful," he said with a laugh.

"Now please, eat my fish, you look starved and I have plenty of it at the castle," said Susan sitting against the tree once more.

"Now why is it that a fair queen is found in a strange wood by herself?" asked Thomas.

"It's my brothers they are going off today to the western wood. I don't fear for them, if my brothers can do anything it's protect themselves but I will miss them dearly. I love my sister but I need more then her and my brothers for company. I wonder why I haven't become especially close to anyone besides my family in this world," she said sadly.

"Aye miss I feel the same, I'm not truly from this world. It is rare that I meet people as kind as you," he said.

They sat in silence for a bit until Susan realized that she should be getting home, "Oh no, it's already past midday," she said looking at the sun which was towards the west, "My brothers will be leaving before sunset and I must go to see them off."

"Then go and have a safe journey. I thank you kindly for the lunch, it was excellent," said Thomas.

"Could you do me a favor Thomas?" Susan asked.

"Anything for you my queen," said Thomas with another one of his bows.

"Come with me, stay the night at least or maybe longer," she said with pleading eyes.

"If you wish it miss I would love to come. I can run along side your horse, I'm quite fast and can easily keep up," and with that they rode back to the castle just in time to see the crowd in front of the castle cheering as Peter and Edmund came out of the castle.

"Peter! Edmund! Don't leave with out saying goodbye," Susan said running towards them after leaving her horse and Thomas in the crowd.

"Susan! Where have you been all day?" Peter asked while hugging his sister.

"Oh I'm sorry Peter! But I just had to be alone, and I made a new friend," she said gesturing for Thomas to come and meet her brothers.

"It's an honor my Kings," said Thomas. Peter and Edmund nodded their heads for it is hard to shake hands with a cat.

"Susan Lucy is in the castle, she refused to come to the ceremony. Please, don't let her be so sad!" said Edmund.

"She won't be the only one to miss you!" said Susan hugging her younger brother, "Please be careful." She turned to her older brother, "Take care of Ed."

"We'll write every day, we promise!" said Peter.

"You'd better!" said Susan laughing, "Goodbye then, I'll see you when you return."

Susan went inside to find her sister who was most likely crying in their chambers. She was too sad to see her brothers off so she too went inside to comfort her sister.

* * *

This chapter was hard. In general i have a pretty solid story line for the next chapters, but if you have any ideas for a side plot with Edmund i'll be willing to take ideas. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ok, so this chapter ended up being very different then what I intended it to be. Thats why it took so long. I planned on having this out around tuesday, but instead it's a little oscar night present for you all! Thankyou so much for my reviews guys! They boost my confidence a whole bunch. And for Electrum, the cat is gonna play a fairly significant role later on in the story (i love cats too).

* * *

The sun was setting and the two kings decided to set camp for the night, ending their second days ride. Edmund and Peter put up their tent along with all the other soldiers. An old dwarf started a fire throwing in it a powder that made the flames grow higher then him (which wasn't too high considering he was a dwarf). Peter and Edmund joined the troops around the fire and listened to the stories of the older folk who knew of the life before the white witch and the four children came to fill the thrones at Cair Paraval.

Edmund was feeling very awake and decided to take a walk along the path. The sun had only just set and he wanted to be alone. The path led to a stream that Edmund had been meaning to explore ever since he first came to Narnia. He had seen it on his way to the home of the White Witch and it always had a feel of secrecy and excitement. He looked up and saw that the moon was almost full and it lit his pathway well. He breathed in the fresh air and couldn't help but let the feeling of perfect serenity take over him.

His thoughts were far away, he was thinking of his brother. He admired him so much but he never let it show. As a child he remembered hating his brother out of spite of Peter's abilities to do things Edmund could not. But ever since the defeat of the White Witch Edmund had a newfound maturity that allowed him to see his brother for what he truly was, a great man. Edmund couldn't imagine living his life as High King. Yet his brother handled everything with a cool head in an organized manner. He loved his sisters too. Lucy's free spirit was inspiring. And Susan's level head and kindness made her a wonderful big sister.

At the moment Edmund was so happy and he didn't know why. He had completely forgotten about the mission and the danger that surely faced him in the near future. All he could think about was all the people that he loved and how beautiful the night was. He saw a glittering in the distance and knew it was the light reflecting off of the stream.

When he reached the stream he sat on a rock and took off his shoes and socks so he could put his feet in the cool running water. It was a perfect temperature, cool but not too cold. After about fifteen minutes he decided to climb the closest oak tree. He rolled up his pants and started climbing to the top of it. When he reached the top he looked about him and marveled in the beautiful view. He was completely unaware of another person in his presence. He began to throw twigs into the stream fairly far below him and thought of how happy he was in that moment.

He hummed quietly to himself as the moon rose above him. Only when he was interrupted by a voice did he snap back to reality.

"Excuse me sir. But could you direct me to where our camp is, you see I'm lost," said the voice below.

Edmund climbed down the tree all the while wondering who this could be, and how he had gotten lost on a one way road from their camp. However when he jumped down to the ground and saw what it was that he was talking to he realized that it was not his camp he was looking for, it was someone else's. This was in fact a boy, a son of Adam.

Edmund was in shock, he hadn't seen a human besides his siblings in many years. His mind was full of questions. Why would they bring a boy of this age? He wasn't old enough to carry a sword none the less fight. (although he was not much younger then Edmund). And there was a camp? How many of these men were there?

"Excuse me sir but will you tell me where our camp is?" said the boy again.

Edmund stuttered for a moment still in shock, "But, I'm not from your camp… I- I'm from here. From Narnia."

The boy looked terrified suddenly and ran off in the opposite direction as his camp with the Narnians.

Edmund called after him, "Please! I won't hurt you! Just come back and talk to me!" the boy didn't stop running.

Edmund began running after the boy trying not to be seen, after about a half a mile the boy stopped. Edmund hid behind a tree just in time. He heard a hopeless groan as the boy turned in circles trying to figure out which way he was going. After a few minutes of the frustration for both the boy and Edmund the boy began walking along one of the three paths leading from the clearing he was in. Edmund knew this must be the path to the boy's camp because the other two paths disappeared into a very thick wood.

After ten minutes of the walking the boy must have seen something because he began running back towards Edmund with a terrified look on his face. Edmund saw it too, a wild boar was charging their way. Edmund quickly jumped out of his hiding spot and took his sword in hand to face the beast. The boy stopped in his tracks when he saw Edmund and didn't know which way to go, towards the threatening man with a sword or an angry boar. But he didn't have to choose because Edmund pushed him out of the way on the side of the path and awaited the boars attack. It stared at Edmund for just a second before it began charging again. When it was within five feet of Edmund he dropped to his knees and thrust the sword through the pig's chest and the momentum of the boar caused it to soar over Edmunds head still impaled on the sword in Edmunds hand.

The boy stood there in shock. Edmund stood, removed his sword and cleaned it in the clean grass near by.

"Now, are you going to talk to me or not?" asked Edmund dropping his sword showing he didn't mean to hurt him, "I'm not a threat, we won't hurt you if you mean no harm."

The boy nodded, "I'm sorry I ran sir, but we were told that you may not want us here in your land, that you might want to get rid of us. I was afraid you would hurt me," said the boy looking down at the ground embarrassed.

"Me? Hurt you? When you did nothing to provoke me? You have a very false view of us Narnians, we are kind and gentle. We have only fought when it was to get back our land that was rightfully ours from evil. May I ask what your name is?" said Edmund

"Peter sir," said the boy.

"Peter? Why that's my brothers name! Perhaps you will meet him some time," said Edmund.

"Pardon my asking but why is it that there are humans here in this world, I thought they were only in my world. We were always rocked to sleep with stories of the land of beasts and birds, where no human ruled and it was wild and free. We believed we had found the magical place," said the young Peter.

"Well it is a land of beasts and birds and is far more magical then any world I have ever seen. But it actually is ruled by man. My siblings and I are the Kings and Queens of this land. I am King Edmund but please call me Edmund. High King Peter is my older brother, Queen Susan is my older sister and Queen Lucy is my younger sister. We left our home to find you and your people, we didn't know if you were here to take over Narnia or if you came in peace, do you come in peace?" asked Edmund

"Yes! Of course! We couldn't stay in our world," said the boy sadly.

"But why?" asked Edmund.

"That's a bit of a long story," said the boy.

They would have set up camp at one of the others camps but Edmund couldn't quite remember how to return to the stream and the boy was very lost. So they made a campfire and sat on logs while young Peter told his story.

"Well, long ago ancient oracles prophesized the end of the world. Everyone believed it to be legend, until it began to come true. They prophesized that we would have to abandon our home before it destroyed us all. It was said that when the earth began to crumble beneath our feet and when the oceans would dry before our eyes it was time to find our new home. And if we didn't act, then the skies would open and death would seep out to crush what was left of our home. It was said to be the greatest evil in our world and if it ever prevailed only the one would be able to save us. None of us knew who the one was so we tried as hard as we could to escape our fate. The few people with a bit of magic joined together to combine their magic, but they failed. Finally a young girl, who was a good friend of mine, named Clara saw death approaching her and she screamed out to the skies in desperation. She begged anyone with the power to save them to do it. In the distance we heard a great roar and the death began to disappear. We went to sleep in peace that night believing that this was over. When we awoke we were in a thick wood. We knew it was our new home, but we were afraid you wouldn't welcome us into your home," said Peter.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through this and stay in hiding. That roar you heard must have been Aslan, which is why you were brought here. Aslan is a great lion who created us all and is wiser and more powerful then any of us. Perhaps he knows of the prophecy of your land and knew that we were the world that you would live in. You are more then welcome here, anyone in need we will help and it is obvious you are in need. Come, we must find your people and tell them of the news. We must tell them that we'll make this as much their home as it is ours."

And so they set out to find Peters friends and family who would soon become Narnians.

* * *

Ok, I have two ideas for the next chapter, im not sure if it will be about Lucy and Susan or Peter. I haven't really had a chapter that focus's on Peter so it will most likely be him. Review please!! 


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm gonna kill that boy!" Peter muttered to himself as he travelled along the path that led north west. The troop had been split up into groups of 5, each group would travel along one of the paths near the camp and split up as the path did. They were all to meet back at the camp before sundown. Peter had already been seperated from the group. He was now travelling along a path in a somewhat familiar forest. He was sure it was just a section of the great western wood. _How can he possibly be that stupid?_ he thought to himself.

He kept walking, _when have i been here before?_ He was sure he'd seen these hills before. He stayed close to the nearest hill and out of no where an entrance to a cave appeared, he would have missed it if he hadn't been looking directly to his right as he passed it. Suddenly it dawned on him "Mr.Tumnus!" he yelled as a handsome fawn stepped out of the door

* * *

Susan awoke wondering what the sad feeling she had in her stomach was, then she remembered her brothers. She couldnt remember the last time that she hadnt eaten breakfast with her brothers in the dining hall. Lucy was getting dressed, "You'd better brush your hair today," susan said with a laugh. 

"Where's your friend Thomas," Lucy asked.

"He's in the guest bedroom down the hall, probably being served his breakfast. Do you want to show him the castle with me?" Susan asked.

"I'd love to!" so after their breakfast they showed the cat the library, the ballrooms, the dining halls, the ceremony hall (which they had their coronation in), the rest of their chambers, the lounges, the garden, the courtyard and the sun room. They also showed him the other half of their castle which was shared by two families, a family of fauns and a family and a family of squirrels. The fauns were the excellent cooks (particularly Grandmother Cecilia who was the head chef) and the family of squirrels did odd jobs (sending messages, cleaning, managing the garden, etc.). Along with the two families lived a very old owl who was the Pevensies keeper, he kept track of all of their events and made sure they got to all of them. All were paid for their work. Also Orion the centaur had arrived that morning to be on call in case Peter and Edmund needed back up.

Lucy proposed that they go on a picnic on the beach. Everyone agreed except orion who told them he had previous plans. So the fauns, squirrels, tom and the pevensies prepared for a luncheon. Grandmother Cecilia prepared a specialty meal for each animal and person (the different animals had different tastes) with the help of her daughter Marie. Lucy went to get some blankets, the squirrels gathered berries and apples from the garden and susan and tom were left to talk in the sun room. Tom stretched out on the couch as Susan sat in a comfy chair near the open door.

"Tell me about the world you are from, you told me you were'nt originally from here," said Susan.

Tom seemed reluctant to talk about it, but he eventually told her, "The world I came from was nothing... unimportant. There wasn't anything to care about and the people wouldn't know kindness if it bit them in the ass," he said bitterly. Seeing Susan's concerned face he stopped. He said, trying to lighten the mood, "Our land wasn't nearly as beautiful as Narnia, not to mention there was no magic or talking animals. Which left me at a bit of a disadvantage..." he trailed off into his own thoughts as Susan sat there and looked at him curiously. She could tell she wasn't getting the full story, but she felt it wasn't the time to talk about it.

Instead she studied Tom's body. It wasn't anything special, well except for the incredible fur of course, but Tom was different from all of the other animals in Narnia. Animals in Narnia almost always were bigger and stronger then a normal animal of its species. But not Tom, his body was as fragile as a plain old house cat's, physically he was the same as a normal cat.

Susan heard from the open window the sweet voice of Grandmother Cecilia, "Lunch!"

"Come Thomas, let us eat and then you can tell me more of your past," Thomas got off of the couch and went to lunch with Susan.

* * *

"Where the hell are we..." said Edmund as he wandered through the woods with Young Peter. 

"Don't ask me! You're the one that lives here!" said Young Peter with a laugh.

"I suppose that's true," Edmund and Young Peter reached a fork in the road, "Wait a second... I know this road! But how did we get..." his voice trailed off as he saw what lay in the clearing beyond the road. It was the remains of the White Witches castle. His vision became fuzzy and a feeling in his chest arose... a feeling he hadnt felt in a long time, guilt.

"Edmund? Are you alright?" asked Young Peter.

But Edmund couldn't hear him because there was a buzzing in his ears that soon turned into a voice... a false sweetness that made him sick to his stomach.

_What would you like best to eat Edmund?_

His knees gave way beneath him and he blacked out.


	5. Chapter 5

Edmund was in a familiar forest, only it didn't look as it should. It was frozen from the cold hard ground to the tree branches, crystallized with ice. Edmund didn't feel comfortable staying still so he decided to walk and hope he'd find an animal that could tell him what was going on.

"'Tis a dream I'm sure," he said to himself for reassurance. As he said this he saw the shadow of a boy walking toward him, a great wave of relief spread over him. "Peter! Young Peter! I was wondering where you'd got off too," he said with a laugh glad that he didn't have to be alone in this ominous place, it seemed as if the trees themselves were urging him to leave this place and find sanctuary somewhere else.

"Young Peter?" he asked tentatively. But the person who walked onto the path wasn't Young Peter… It was a boy around the age of 10 looking around him with wonder.

"Can you hear me?" Edmund asked the boy once he was only a few feet away. The young boy said nothing, he simply kept staring at his surroundings, "I'll take that as a no," said Edmund. Edmund watched this boy with interest as he gazed at his surroundings. "I say this is strange," Edmund muttered under his breath as he examined the boys face. He walked with the boy for a while, curious where he was going and what was going on.

"I say, Lu!" said the boy. Edmund knew he should know this name but it's owner simply wouldn't come to mind, "I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I see now you were right all along. Do come out. Make it pax." said the small boy. Edmund chuckled at the expression, "make it pax", which seemed childish and silly compared to his articulate speech (he was a king of course).

The whispers that seemed to come from the trees themselves intensified. They seemed almost to be speaking the words "Go… Leave… Danger…". Edmund looked to see the boy's reaction to this but the boy didn't seem to notice them. A mounting sense of anticipation and excitement bubbled in Edmunds chest. It was as if he were reading a particularly interesting novel and he was about to reaching a particularly interesting chapter.

"Just like a girl" said the boy, "sulking somewhere, and won't accept an apology." Bells jangled in the distance and both boys whipped their heads in the direction it was coming from. The trees kept on telling this small boy "Run… Go… Before it's too late!" but still this boy didn't seem to notice it a bit. He seemed a little dim-witted in Edmunds opinion

Edmund could see in the distance a sleigh drawn by two white animals. As they drew closer he saw that they were reindeer, he also spotted a woman in the seat of the sleight who had a terrible beauty about her. If Edmund had seen her in real life then he would have been terrified for sure, but as it were she couldn't see nor hear Edmund so the frightening air about her just seemed to add to this little story he had dropped into. He saw the boy looking at her, his expression fear mingled with admiration.

The woman stopped the carriage and said to Edmund with much distaste. "And what, pray, are you?"

The boy seemed very uncomfortable and said in response "I'm-I'm- my name's-" but Edmund didn't hear his name because a tree particularly close to him whispered "Leave!" too loud for the Edmund to hear the boy's voice.

"Is that how you address a queen?" and Edmund could almost feel the fury in her gaze. He was happy that he didn't have those eyes on him.

"I beg your pardon, your Majesty, I didn't know," said the boy trying to hide his fear and be polite.

"Not know the Queen of Narnia? Ha! You shall know us better hereafter. But I repeat-what are you?"

"Please, your Majesty, I don't know what you mean. I'm at school- at least I was- it's the holidays now." Edmund laughed at this answer. This boy was obviously not used to Narnia, where there were hundreds of different creatures.

"But what _are_ you? Are you a great overgrown dwarf that has cut off its beard?" her patience was wearing thin.

"No, your majesty, I never had a beard. I'm a boy." At this Edmund rubbed his ever so slightly stubbly chin with pride.

"A boy! Do you mean you are a Son of Adam?" she asked suddenly looking far more interested in this boy.

"Well of course he is! Haven't you ever seen a human before?" Edmund said to the so called queen even though she couldn't hear him.

"I see you are an idiot, whatever else you may be. Answer me, once and for all, or I shall lose my patience. Are you human?"

"Yes, your majesty," and the boy explained how he had gone in through a wardrobe. When the queen heard this, her cold fury turned to sudden kindness. She had him sit with her and gave him a steaming glass of Cocoa that seemed to come from no where. Edmund sat comfortably on the empty seat across from the pair and watched with interest.

"It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating. What would you like best to eat?" as she asked this of the boy Edmund found himself wanting to say something. The boy asked for Turkish Delight and a great box of it appeared out of nowhere.

As the boy reached in for a piece of the Turkish Delight Edmund said without meaning to "Don't!" and the trees echoed this word over and over again… "Don't… Don't… Don't."

The boy took a bite and Edmunds stomach tensed.

Edmund began to have a very bad feeling about this woman. She watched every bite the boy took and with each piece gone the boy's mood improved. She began to ask him questions about his home and he answered her without a care between mouthfuls of the powdery candy. The boy didn't stop eating the disgusting food and as the box became near to empty. Edmund became so nautious that he was sure he would be sick before long.

"Tell me about your family, do you have any brothers? Or sisters?" the woman said. Edmund felt an unexplained surge of fear.

"Well… I do… but I don't like them much," Edmund's stomach churned.

"Why, what are they like?" the woman asked with a fake look of concern on her face that Edmund knew was just an act.

"Well there's my brother. He's a bit of a prat, really," his stomach hurt more then ever, "And my sisters always take his side. And they're the worst kind of girls too, never forgive you for anything and they never listen!" how could this boy talk about his family like that?

"Mmm…" the woman nodded knowingly, "And how many sisters do you have?"

"Two, Lucy and Susan. And my brother's name is Peter," the names made Edmunds eyes sting with tears. Edmund spotted the look of triumph on the Queen's face and the bile began to rise in his throat.

Something about that look told Edmund everything he needed to know. Innocent people were now in danger because this ignorant boy was feeding the queen information that Edmund was sure wouldn't be used to Lucy, Peter and Susan's advantage. The kid didn't seem to have any idea the damage he was doing.

The conversation continued and before the Turkish delight was gone the boy managed to rat out a faun named Mr.Tumnus who apparently had been friends with his sister. As the boy ate the last piece of Turkish Delight the queen then turned to the boy and said "Son of Adam, I should so much like to see your brother and your two sisters. Will you bring them to see me?" Edmund could hear his heart beat in his ears.

"Kid, no. Don't take them anywhere near this woman! She's evil! Can't you see it?!" Edmund felt some need to stop this… to fix it. The Queen's eyes were full of delight at the trap she was setting for these children.

But instead of telling her that he wouldn't give the Queen his siblings he just groveled for more Turkish delight. He finally agreed to take them to her if he would get Turkish delight in return.

The boy left the sled and looked back as it as it rode back into the woods with sticky pink Turkish Delight all over his fingers and his face.

"What have you done?" Edmund whispered his voice shaking with anger, some forgotten fury toward this boy seemed to rise up from Edmund and he wanted nothing more then to hurt him stop him in any way. He began to yell, "That's your family! And you're selling them out for Turkish Delight?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" but just then Edmund saw a familiar face over Edmund's shoulder… his sister Lucy.

"Oh, Edmund!" she yelled.

"You can see me Lu?" Edmund asked confused. But it wasn't he that she ran up to hug… it was the boy. Edmunds breath began to quicken as he looked at his younger sister four years younger talking happily to the nasty little traitor. He couldn't believe it… he wouldn't… Edmund turned toward a bush and finally vomited. Hot tears streamed freely from his eyes as all the memories flooded.

The broken door of Mr.Tumnus's house… Lucy crying in the doorway… the courtyard full of the stone animals…. "They're in the little house on top of the dam just up the river! With Mr and Mrs beaver."

The pictures came to him as clearly as if he were watching a movie… scene after scene that made him want to hurt himself… kill himself… anything to change what he had done. And always Mr.Beavers unfamiliar words were ringing in his ears "Don't you understand? He's gone to _her_, to the White Witch. He has betrayed us all!" Wave after wave of remorse and guilt crashed over him without pause.

"I did… I know… Lucy I'm sorry… I betrayed them all… Susan… my fault… Peter… forgive me…" these words were said in Edmunds voice but they seemed to be coming from the air, fading in and out. He was positive that his life was ending with every image that flashed before his eyes.

A familiar majestic lion said to a younger Peter in front of a large crowd of soldiers, "But where is the fourth?" the crowd and Peter vanished. All that was left was Aslan and Edmund. Aslan turned his wise eyes upon Edmund. "Where is the fourth?" he said in a much more commanding voice.

"I'm here!" Edmund sobbed and Aslans face blurred, "I'm here! I'm here!" he screamed. Aslans face vanished into blackness. He felt his face, sticky with tears, and opened his eyes to see a sandy blonde with red puffy eyes looking hopefully into his face. When Peter saw that his brother was awake he let out a whoop of joy and gave him a spine-crushing hug.


	6. Chapter 6

I know i gave a chapter yesterday but I had already had this a week ago. Only I decided that the Chapter 5 should come first. Hope this makes up for the fact that I haven't been putting chapters up as much as I should. If you couldnt tell this goes back to when Peter first sees Mr.Tumnus. Thank you so much for all of your reviews elektrum!

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"Mr.Tumnus!" Peter yelped as he saw the handsome faun step out of his front door. 

Mr.Tumnus let out a shout of surprise and dropped a book that he was carrying. Peter leapt down to get it for him returning to his normal height with a huge smile on his face. "Peter! What on _earth_ are you doing here?" said Tumnus with a laugh.

"Well, hello to you too Mr.Tumnus! I'm fine thank you for asking Mr.Tumnus!" said Peter grinning even more broadly.

"Well you can't blame me for being surprised can you?" said the faun and at that Tumnus grasped Peters hand in both of his and then took his book back, The Faun's Pocket Guide to Common Garden Herbs. "My god you've gotten tall! Now my boy, what has taken you so far away from the castle?"

"Well you must have heard the rumors… you know, about the humans in the woods! Well an old friend of ours saw them with his own eyes and sent us a note immediately. So we brought a troop out here, just incase, to see what's going on for ourselves. And if we don't find them within a month then we are all to return home," Peter told him.

"Well, that explains why you are in the western wood. But _why,_ my dear friend, are you all alone on my doorstep?" Tumnus asked.

"It's… well it's Edmund… We've no idea where he's gotten too. We woke up this morning and he wasn't in his tent," Peter was a lot more nervous now then he had been this morning. He had honestly thought that Edmund had just wandered off and gotten lost… but much more sinister explanations of his absence were crossing Peters mind now.

The faun put a reassuring hand on Peter's shoulder, "I'm sure he's fine Peter. He probably just got a little lost. He's probably already been found!" he said cheerfully.

"Maybe… or maybe the Sons of Adam have him," Peter said finally voicing his fear.

Mr.Tumnus didn't have an answer to this, so instead he offered to help Peter look. After a period of them walking in silence Tumnus asked, "How is Lucy?"

Peter laughed to himself, "Doesn't stop asking when we can come out here to see you. She's really grown up, she looks less and less like a child every time I see her. It's wierd really. She misses you so much too Mr.Tumnus,"

Tumnus was smiling sadly "I would like to see her again…"

"But you can Tumnus!" said Peter wondering why he hadn't thought of this before, "You can stay with the troop and when we go back, you can come and see Lucy! It will be right in time for her birthday!"

This seemed to lift Tumnus's mood significantly and they chatted happily until they saw something up ahead that made them both stop dead in their tracks. A boy was standing in a clearing looking around him frantically. A heap of something lay at his feet.

Peter paused for just a second before he gathered himself. He took his magnificent sword out of its sheath and said in a calm voice that carried all the way up the path, "Stop where you are Son of Adam. Drop your weapon, I have no intention of harming you," The boy dropped his short sword immediately. Peter gazed at it on the ground… it took him a moment to realize what it was… or more importantly whose it was. It was Edmunds spare sword that he kept with him along with the sword that was made for him after his coronation.

Every ounce of calmness left Peter's voice. He was no longer High King, just a scared older brother, "Where did you get that!" he said his voice cracking with emotion. The boy looked terrified now, he slowly pointed to the heap at his feet. Peter sprinted towards him and knelt beside the heap that was his younger brother.

"Edmund?" he said so quietly no one would have heard him except for Edmund, had he been awake, "Please wake up… please Ed… please…" Peter knew he wasn't going to wake but he kept on talking to his unconcious brother, "You're not dead Edmund… Edmund please be alive," When he finally stood he grasped his sword in his hand firmly and before the boy knew what was happening Peter had pinned him to a tree with his sword pushing dangerously hard into the boy's throat. "What did you do to him?" Peter whispered, fury clouding his reason.

The boy didn't answer, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BROTHER YOU LITTLE JACKASS?" The boy again said nothing and Peter raised the hand with his sword fully ready to do as much harm with it as possible when Mr.Tumnus grabbed Peter's hand and pulled it backward away from the boy. Mr.Tumnus didn't let go, the look that Peter was giving him clearly showed that he would do harm unto Mr.Tumnus in order to get to this boy, so Tumnus held on tight.

"Peter… use your head. When was the last time you're brother lost a fight? _You_ can barely beat him… This boy could not have killed him." Peter stared defiantly at Tumnus a moment before he loosened his grip on the sword and let go of the boy.

The boy spoke up at last. "He's n-… he's not dead," said the boy quietly. Peter immediately jumped down next to his little brother and put his head to Edmunds chest. The slow steady thumping was undeniably Edmund's heartbeat.

"Thank God," said Peter lying back with his hands over his face. He sat there letting his heartbeat slow down while he heard Mr.Tumnus asking the boy's name.

"Peter sir," said the boy shaking slightly, he looked nervously over at the King. King Peter looked up with interest at the boy. The boy said in a very shaky voice, "And y-you're his b-brother right?" King Peter nodded, "Then you're High K-King Peter?" the boy asked.

"Yes, I am King Peter,"

"Why you both are Peter! Well that will be a bit confusing now won't it…? I suppose we'll just have to call you," he pointed at the boy, "Pete. And you." He pointed to the High King, "Peter,"

"How did you know I was High King?" asked Peter.

"I… well, your majesty, you're brother he found me you see, well really I found him by accident. I thought he was from my world and when he told me that he was a King of this land, I ran. But he followed, and thank goodness for that, because I was almost killed by a boar of some sort. But Edmund saved me and so I told him my story and he decided to help me find my camp. The only reason I had his sword was because he gave it to me to protect myself. Though he told me that it was very unlikely that someone would attack us in this forest," said Pete a nervously. Perhaps he thought he was still in danger of having his throat slit.

"Your story? You mean how you came to be in our country?" asked Peter.

"Well, yes… and why," so Pete told the same story he had told Edmund. Peter and Mr.Tumnus listened intently.

"So you mean no harm?" Peter asked.

"No, of course not! And Edmund told me… well he told me that my family, friends and I could live here… but if you don't want us too…. Well you're the High King, so it's up to you I suppose…" said the boy quietly looking hopefully at Peter.

"Well, of course you can live here!" said Peter, "But what has happened to Edmund?" he said looking sadly into his brother's face.

"I've no idea sir! We were walking and he said something about knowing where we were. He looked out into the clearing over there and stopped walking. And before I knew it he had collapsed! I had no idea what had happened. This was about five minutes ago."

Peter hadn't noticed what lay in the clearing because he had been far more worried about his brother. Now that he looked he saw a house with a large, empty courtyard, "Tumnus? Do you know who lives there?" asked Peter.

"Peter… that's the Witch's house," said Tumnus in a grave voice. Peter had never actually seen the Witch's house, his brother had seen it obviously, and his sisters had gone with Aslan to it before the great battle, but Peter had never laid eyes on it. He felt a strange tingling as he looked at it.

"It must be some sort of lingering magic," Peter said at last tearing his eyes from the house.

"It could be," Tumnus said, "But if it were, wouldn't we all be affected too?"

"I'm not sure…" Peter said looking sadly at his brother once more, "Perhaps the magic only works on certain victims,"

"Or perhaps…" Tumnus's voice trailed off.

"What?" Peter asked.

"Perhaps it only works on- on traitors," Tumnus said the last word very quietly. Peter gave him a look so full of hatred that Tumnus actually took a step back, afraid that Peter would pick up his sword once more, "I-I'm sorry Peter… K-King Peter I mean… I shouldn't of… didn't mean it…" he stammered looking frightened.

"Don't ever say that again," Peter said just above a whisper looking livid.

"Of course not! Never again! I am truly sorry your majesty," as Tumnus spoke the last two words Peter seemed to remember who he was talking to and he controlled his temper.

"I'm sorry," Peter said quietly, "I didn't mean to lose my temper… and please don't call me "majesty" Mr.Tumnus. You are a friend… not my subject,"

"I understand. But we'll have to take him back to your camp, Peter," said Tumnus.

"Yes, perhaps the doctor there will know what has happened to him," said Peter. He and Tumnus picked up Edmund and carried him between the two of them. Peter had his feet and Tumnus had his hands. After an hour and a half's walk they reached the camp long after sunset. The troop was talking darkly in small groups around the fire; it seemed that both of their Kings were missing.

When Peter, Tumnus and the boy walked out of the bushes the crowd cheered. Then they realized that the boy next to Peter wasn't Edmund but an unfamiliar boy. They saw their king swinging between Tumnus and Peter and every cheering voice died out.

"Can it be? Our great King, dead?" said a field mouse towards the front of the crowd.

"He is not dead," Peter said loud enough for everyone to hear, "Let me lay him down into bed and everything will be explained."

As he and Tumnus began to walk through the crowd 2 fauns, a centaur and the little mouse that spoke up all rushed forward to help them move the King. The mouse said to Peter, "Your majesty, don't trouble yourself. We can lay him down in a tent ourselves,"

Peter told him, "No thank you, kind mouse. High King or not, this is my brother. I would not leave him now, even if I were Aslan himself," the mouse bowed and the large group carried Edmund into his tent which was next to Peters at the center of the camp. Once they had lain him down Peter dismissed the fauns, the centaur and the mouse.

"Peter, I must ask you to tell your sad story just one more time. Tell the soldiers that I sent you to explain. You may go," the boy bowed and walked out of Edmunds tent, "Tumnus get the doctor. He is a dwarf by the name of Grendoll," Tumnus left the tent also, leaving Peter and Edmund. Perhaps Peter was imagining it but the look on Edmunds face seemed distressed.

Tumnus returned a few minutes later with a grumpy looking dwarf who bowed low to Peter and proceeded to poke and prod Edmund. Feeling his pulse, opening his eyes and examining his pupils, pouring numerous different potions into his mouth, but nothing seemed to be working. When he finally stopped trying to revive Edmund he told peter, "I honestly have never seen anything like this. He didn't wake up with the Reviving potion, the cure for enchanted sleep, or anything else that has helped me in situations like this. He just doesn't seem to be reacting to anything i do. I think our only hope is to wait and see if he wakes up on his own." Peter nodded sadly, "I hate to tell you this your majesty, but you should be prepared,"

"What does that mean?" Peter asked.

"It means that it is very unlikely he will awake," said the dwarf.

Peter fought the tears that were threatening to spill out of his eyes. He finally said, "You may go. Bring me Tumnus the faun, Daunton the Centaur, and Romilda the blue jay," the Dwarf bowed and was leaving when Peter said, "Please, do not tell anyone his condition." The dwarf bowed and left.

Tumnus, Daunton and Romilda walked in. Daunton began to ask "Is Edmund goi-" but peter cut him off.

"Daunton, tomorrow we are going to leave with the Son of Adam in search of his people. Prepare a small group of my most trusted subjects. Tumnus is to be included," he said gesturing to the faun, "And you of course. You may go,

"Tumnus, take care of the boy. Give him my tent and ask him if he remembers at all where his camp is," said Peter.

"But where will you sleep?" asked Romilda.

"I wish to stay here until my brother awakes,"

"Peter, you really should get some sleep, you've traveled very far today," said the faun.

"I will stay," said Peter in a voice that told them he wasn't going to change his mind.

"May I go?" asked Tumnus.

"Yes," Tumnus left, "Romilda I am going to write a letter to my sisters. I chose you of all of my messengers because you are the most reliable and fastest, I don't want to pressure you but I would appreciate it if you would try to give it to them before dawn. And wait for a reply," the bird nodded as Peter arose and picked out some paper and a quill from Edmunds things.

_Dear sisters,_

_I write to you with the saddest of news. Our brother, Edmund, has fallen ill. When we awoke this morning he was missing. I found him collapsed in front of the White Witch's house. Edmund (before he fell ill), found a Son of Adam. There is nothing to worry about on that front; they are merely wandering, trying to find a new home for theirs was destroyed. I will explain more when I next contact you._

_We brought Edmund back to our camp and Grendoll believes that he will not awake. But I still have hope and so should you. I will wait with him and do everything I can to help him. If our brother does not recover I will bring him home to you, and we will say goodbye together._

_Your loving brother,_

_Peter_

He folded the paper and put it into a green envelope. The bird flew onto his knee and allowed him to tie the letter to her leg. She asked once he was finished, "Is he going to wake up?" Peter looked at his feet and didn't answer, "I shouldn't have asked, I apologize," and with that she flew out of the tent and towards the girls.

And Peter sat quietly, waiting for any sign that his brother was going to awake. He thought of nothing but Edmund. How much he had changed since they became Kings. He remembered how well Edmund had fought in the battle against the White Witch, how he had fought to the Witch and cleverly destroyed her wand. How he saved numerous people who would have surely been turned to stone had he not destroyed it. He was so kind now. He was funny and mature.

_And my best friend_ Peter thought to himself.

He had no idea how long he had sat there but at some point in the early morning he dozed off. He awoke at the sound of his own name.

"Edmund!?" he said waking with a start. Edmund was talking. His eyes were still closed but tears were streaming down his face. He kept on starting sentences but he never finished them.

"Peter… I'm sorry… didn't mean to… Susan…. Turkish Delight…"

"Edmund? It's only a nightmare, you can wake up."

"Didn't know… blame me…. Lucy?... Don't…. I did… I know… Lucy I'm sorry… I betrayed them all…" Peter suddenly knew what Edmund was dreaming of.

"No Edmund, you didn't. It's alright! You didn't know what you were doing," he knew that Edmund couldn't hear him but he had never gotten a chance to say these things to Edmund.

"Susan… my fault… Peter… forgive me…"

"I do! I do Ed! Just wake up! Please!" Peter's eyes were filling with tears. Seeing his brother like this scared him more then seeing him unconscious.

"I'm here!" Edmund yelled. Edmund opened his eyes and Peter yelled happily. He hugged his brother until he was sure his tears were gone. Edmund was still shaking but he was alive and that was all that mattered.

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This one was really long only because I really love to see Peter being the big brother. Please please please review!! I don't mind criticism either so if you have any suggestions please tell me. I really have a good idea of the next few chapters so hopefully I'll have them out soon! 


	7. Chapter 7

I am really shocked that I wrote two chapters in one day. Funny when it took me 3 months to write chapter 4. Haha well anyways I'd love reviews, and sorry this one is a little short!

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Susan and Lucy sat in silence eating their breakfast. They had barely spoken since they received Peter's letter the morning before. After they had finished Lucy said, "I think I'll go to the library,"

"Alright…. And I'll find Thomas I suppose," she said and they went opposite directions in the hall. Susan didn't actually have any intention of finding Thomas. Instead she went to her and Lucy's bedroom. When she walked in she saw that her bed was already made for her. She laid her head down on the blue velvet pillow and let the tears come. She wished so much that she could be with her brothers. She couldn't get the picture of Edmund lying dead in his bed out of her mind. She tried to remember the last real conversation she had had with Edmund. It had been in the orchard a few days earlier. They had both awoken far earlier then usual so they had decided to take a walk before breakfast. One of their fake fights had started again. Every once in a while Ed and Susan would get into some silly fight and continue it for days, sometimes even weeks. They would play clever tricks and embarrass each other in any way possible. It truly was the only real fun Susan had, even when the tricks were on her. She would always laugh at them and Ed took his well too. This particular one had started with a great triumph on Susan's part.

_Edmund picked an apple off the biggest apple tree and took a great bite that made the juice dribble down his chin, "Really Edmund! Have some manners!" Susan said._

"_Who's here to impress? The blueberry bush" Susan chuckled at that, "Besides, you're just jealous because you're not tall enough to reach the ripe ones!" he said laughing through a mouthful of apple._

"_Oh you are so right Edmund!" she said with a mischievous smile that was unnoticed by her brother, "In fact I'd really love an apple right now! But seeing as I'm a short weak girl could you get it for me? You are soooo tall that it shouldn't be a problem!" she said._

"_Fine then!" said Edmund._

_He reached up to grab a half red, half green apple when Susan said, "Well not that one! I don't like the green," she said._

"_But they all are half green!" he said annoyed._

"_Not that one! Waaaay up there!" she said pointing to a ruby red apple at the top of the tree, "What's the problem Ed? Can't reach it?" she said laughing._

"_Well I don't have to be able to reach it! Because I __**happen**__ to be a great tree climber!" this was exactly what Susan had wanted. Edmund took off his good shoes and rolled up his pants and started to climb. Right as he had plucked the bright red apple off the tree Susan reached up and tickled his foot which was even with her eye level. Edmund yelped and pulled that foot off of the branch. He lost his balance and fell out of the tree on his behind clutching the apple in his hand, his face red with embarrassment. _

"_Oh! Thank you Ed!" she said snatching the apple and before Edmund could get up she had run for it. Edmund had jumped up too and laughing he sprinted after Susan. She ran into the castle and up the stairs leaving the front door wide open. Edmund ran through and saw the hem of her dress whip around the corner leading towards their private quarters. He jumped up the stairs two at a time reaching the hallway just in time to see the door to their dining hall close. He ran in and saw her sitting calmly with Peter drinking a cup of tea._

"_Oh, good morning Edmund!" she said casually._

"_Don't good morning me! I'll get you back Susan! Just because you have Peter for protection today doesn't mean I won't get you tomorrow!" he said half laughing half shouting. _

"_Edmund, what are you on about?" Peter said looking thoroughly confused._

"_It's her Peter! She made me fall out of a tree! And I was just being a good brother and getting her an apple!" Edmund replied._

"_What? But Susan just woke up! Didn't you?" he asked Susan._

"_Yes! I've honestly no idea what he's talking about!" said Susan with a look of innocent curiosity on her face._

_Peter gave Edmund another confused look then shrugged to show that he had given up trying to understand._

_Edmund mouthed the words "It's not over!"_

_Susan smiled slyly, leaned in and said "You're damn right it isn't!" they both began to laugh and Peter looked more confused then ever._

She laughed to herself even though she knew that that could easily be the last trick she would play on her brother. She heard the door open and she turned to see Lucy standing there with a letter in her hands, "I… I couldn't open it," she said quietly.

"From Peter?" Susan asked quietly. Lucy nodded, "It's ok, I'll open it," she said. She took the letter, hands shaking, and pulled out the note. She gasped and dropped it on the ground.

Lucy sobbed, "He's dead isn't he," she clearly thought that Susan's gasp was caused by some horrible news.

"No! Lucy! It's from Edmund!" Susan said picking up the letter again and reading.

_Sisters,_

_I am sorry to have scared you with my sudden illness. We're not sure what was wrong with me but Grendoll assures us that I'll make a full recovery. I don't have much energy and I sleep for most of the day but I am far better then I was. Peter is at my side every hour and only leaves when he has to deal with the troops or the new Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. They are truly kind and agree to pledge their allegiance to us... We have been making plans to build them a village in the Plains Between the river and our castle. There is plenty of room for crops and homes. It is going to be quite close to us and we will be able to keep an eye on them and make sure that they are living alright. The first year will be difficult because they will not have their own crops to get food from, so we and our fellow narnians will have to provide for them until they can supply themselves._

_We are going to begin our journey 4 days from now. Grendoll believes I will be well enough to travel 2 days from now but we are going to wait 2 more to be sure. The journey home will take much longer then usual because of the huge group of people we have. I honestly can't believe how such a great number of people had kept hiding this long without anyone noticing. It's funny really, 150 people wandering around the western wood for two weeks, and no one noticed until now! We can't wait to see you! Peter sends his love._

_Your brother,_

_Edmund_

_P.S. We have a surprise for you when we get home (particularly for Lucy!)_

The two girls were overcome with happiness. In fact Lucy had tears in her eyes. There was nothing to worry about! Their brother was alive and well! The Men in the woods were harmless!

"I can't believe it, Susan! I thought he was gone for sure!" Lucy said as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. Susan nodded with a smile. They hugged happily when they heard a voice from the door.

"Are those happy tears or sad tears?" Thomas asked.

"Thomas! Edmund is alive! Can you believe it?" Susan said to the cat, "Come let us tell the rest of the house!" The girls and Thomas ran around telling the fauns, the squirrels and the owl the great news. That night they went to bed, not crying as they had the night before, but happier then they had been in years. They dreamt of the new people they would meet in the coming week and of their brave brothers, who would be returning to them.

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I'm VERY excited for the next chapter! Peter and Edmund are going to be dealing with the ladies and I hope it will lighten the general mood of this fic. REVIEW! PLEASE! 


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry elecktrum, we're not going to find out the reason for Edmund's illness for a while. Three or four chapters I think (depending on whether or not I throw in a few more fun chapters before then). But thanks for the reviews! They really make me want to update more!

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"I can't believe we've gone this long without girls!" Peter said walking into Edmunds tent. It was the day after Edmund woke up and he was still very weak.

"Peter I was sleeping! And what are you talking about anyways?" Edmund said groggily.

"_Girls_ Edmund! It's fantastic! There are tons of em! And they're all so- so- well pretty!" Peter said misty eyed.

"That's terrific," he said in a bored voice, "can I sleep now?" Edmund said annoyed that Peter was waking him up so early.

"But Edmund! They all look at me all the time! And they all get so excited when I walk near them!" he said with a huge grin on his face.

Edmund furrowed his eyebrow in fake confusion, "That's really strange Peter! I wonder why they do that!"

"Yea I know! Maybe it's just because I'm so good looking," he said looking very proud.

"Or _maybe_" Edmund said in a mock interested voice,"It's because YOU'RE THE HIGH KING! Honestly," Peter looked deep in thought, "Now, in the name of Aslan, let me sleep!"

"Hmm, I guess you're right…" he said looking a little crestfallen, "So you don't think it's my devastatingly good looks?" he asked hopefully.

Edmund sighed, "Sure, it's your looks they like not your title. Which are two really good reasons to start a relationship!" he said sarcastically. Peter stood up to walk out again looking much happier, "Personality and sense of humor have _nothing_ to do with it at all!" he shouted after him. Peter just waved a hand through the tent showing he didn't care.

Though Edmund pretended not to care, he was a bit jealous that Peter was getting all of the attention. After all Edmund was the handsomer of the two in most peoples opinion, and perhaps some of the girls wouldn't need a _high_ king… surely a plain old king would do? Edmund fell back asleep day dreaming about the pretty girls that lay just outside his tent.

* * *

"So, the surprise is for both of us… but mostly for you," Susan said as they sat on the beach drinking iced tea in their bathing suits. It was the first day of summer and it was a lovely day out. The girls decided to go to the beach for the first time that year because it had been too cold before then.

"Yes, I don't know why that would be," Lucy said looking out over the sea, "Perhaps a present of some sort? A present that I would like more then you?"

"Or maybe it's some exciting news," said Susan.

"I've really no idea!" said Lucy a bit exasperated.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and find out," said Susan, "Do you want to swim?"

"Sure!" so they both ran into the freezing water squealing and laughing, "It's freezing!" Lucy shrieked when she was waist high.

"Surely adventurous little Lucy can take some cold water!" said Susan. She splashed her sister full on in the face and went under water to duck her sister's retaliation. When they went back up to the castle they had a short letter from Peter.

_Lucy and Susan,_

_We're very busy so I'm sorry this letter is so short. We've been moving the two camps together and it takes much work and time. Edmund is still unable to walk but he will be able to soon. There will be a formal introduction of the people to us at the castle; it will take place the day after we arrive in the Throne room. We are to wear our crowns and the people will come up by family and introduce themselves to us. _

_Your brother,_

_Peter_

"Nothing about the surprise!" said Susan annoyed. "Here you can write the response."

_Brothers,_

_We are very happy that everything is going well there. Though I must admit we are very curious to know what the surprise is! Could you give us a hint in the next letter perhaps? I'm very excited to wear our crowns again, they were really gathering dust! We can't wait to meet everyone, and we are anxious to see you two again! _

_With love,_

_Lucy_

* * *

A day later Edmund was sitting up in bed. And eating normally again. Tumnus had been keeping him company that morning, but Edmund was really getting restless and he wanted to leave his stuffy tent. He had been fine the day before because he had only been awake 5 or 6 hours, but today he couldn't get back to sleep.

"I hate that Grendoll won't let me walk! There's nothing to do!" said Edmund. But the answer to his boredom walked in just as he finished his sentence. Peter came in with a grin on his face.

"There's a pretty little gardener who wants to make you some tea. Well not regular tea, it has herbs and such to make you stronger. Would you like me to send her in?" said Peter being a little too casual.

"Why not," said Edmund.

"Edmund, would you mind if I went and spoke to an old friend of mine?" Tumnus asked.

"Of course not, go ahead," said Edmund. Now he was a little nervous because he would soon be alone with a girl whom he had never met. It would be the first girl he would be with (other then his sisters of course) since before he could remember.

He waited on his bed and ran his fingers through his hair, though his efforts were fruitless considering this made his hair look even messier. After a minute or two he heard voices a little distance from his tent, "And don't speak until you're spoken too! And don't forget to bow! He's your king now and you must treat him as such! Be polite and quiet! You are to be the first person from our world to meet King Edmund, and it is a great honor! Becoming a favorite of the King now will do great things for our family in the future! And you are fourteen, marriage is not far in the future," Edmund could hardly contain his grin.

"Mother! He is older! And you are only making me more nervous!" she said. Her voice was a little lower then most girls but it was warm and sweet.

"Only a year older! That's nothing! Unless you'd rather us marry you off to Mr.Harvey! He'd be more then willing! And he is far more than a year older than you," said her mother in an annoyed voice.

"No thank you!" the girl said. Edmund was trying as hard as he could not to laugh now. He had barely gathered himself when the flap to his tent was opened and the girl walked in. She immediately dropped into a low curtsy. She had dark red hair that fell in curls a little past her shoulder. She wore a dress of pale green and when she arose from her curtsy Edmund saw that she had very big green eyes. Edmund had to admit, she was very pretty. She also looked very nervous.

"My brother tells me you are a gardener," said Edmund, "And you wish to give me some tea for my strength?"

"Yes sir," she said with another small curtsy, "It is best to drink it fresh so it would be better if I made it here," she said awkwardly.

"That is fine," he said. He hated to be so formal, so he asked her, "You haven't told me your name,"

"Anne, your majesty," she said with another curtsy.

Edmund smiled at her and said, "You don't need to curtsy every time you speak. And you may call me Edmund."

"Thank you… Edmund," she said quietly. A bit of pink was rising in her cheeks. Edmund watched as she knelt in his tent and started a small fire to heat the tea which was already made.

"I thought you needed to make it fresh?" Edmund said.

"You need to crush the herbs fresh… the tea is just so you don't have to eat the herbs raw," she said. He watched her crush ten or fifteen herbs in a very precise way in a ceramic bowl so that when she was finished all that was left was a fine green powder. She took out a small spoon out of her bag and a teacup. She took one small spoonful and put it in the teacup. She then poured the steaming tea into the cup, "You must have a cup of tea with one spoonful of these herbs every hour. It should be enough if you do that for five hours, but if you don't feel well enough by then you may take 6 doses."

She walked over to his bed and held her hand out for him to take the cup. Edmund took the cup and held it in a way so that their fingers were touching just slightly, "Thank you Anne," he said without taking the cup from her. She blushed furiously now, taking her hand away from the cup. She curtsied and hurried out of the tent. Edmund laughed to himself. _That was a little too easy._

Edmund's tea was nearly gone when Peter walked in, "Well?"

"Well what?" said Edmund.

"Wasn't she beautiful? Did she like you?" asked Peter.

"Well she blushed a lot," Peter laughed at that, "and yes, she was very beautiful."

"Isn't it great!" said Peter happily, "Anyways, are the herbs helping?"

"Not yet, she says I need to take a spoonful of them in tea every hour," he said.

"Want a game of chess?" asked Peter. Edmund agreed and they had a close game, though Peter won in the end with a spectacular Checkmate that Edmund didn't notice at all.

* * *

Four hours later Edmund was feeling much better. He was still a bit sore but he had as much energy as ever. The sun was setting and he really wanted to go out and sit by the fire. It took some persuading but Grendoll did eventually agree to let him out of the tent before everyone went to bed. So Peter and Edmund walked out of Edmunds tent at dusk. As Peter and Edmund passed the Narnian folk they would say things like "Good to see you back your majesty," and such. The new people simply bowed and curtsied politely. Peter was right however. Every girl was watching Peter and Edmund and they were always whispering to their sisters and friends.

When they passed a particular family Edmund stopped. It was Anne's family. He approached her father and said, "I would like to thank you and your daughter for her excellent remedy. She has more talent then any Narnian doctor I have met, which is all of them by the way," he said with a laugh, "Do I have your permission to thank her myself?"

"Of course your majesty," he said.

Edmund walked up to Anne and took her hand and kissed it. "You already thanked me!" she whispered in an annoyed way though it was clear she was enjoying all of the attention.

"Yes but once was not enough," he said so only she could hear, "And besides, don't you want all of the jealous girls to think that you are the King's favorite?" he asked looking around at all of the jealous looks Anne was getting.

"Why would they think that?" she snapped although she was hardly hiding a smile.

"Because you are," Edmund said with the smallest of smiles, "Thank you sir," he said in a louder voice to her father and he walked away.

"Wow," Peter said after they had walked a fair distance away from the family, "That happened fast."

Edmund laughed, at least one good thing had come from his illness.

* * *

That chapter was purely for my enjoyment. If you couldn't tell Edmund is my favorite Pevensie. If I start writing too much about him and not enough about everyone else you can tell me. Hope you liked it! Reviews pretty please! 


	9. Chapter 9

**STOP!**

Now that i have your attention I have to tell those of you who started reading my fanfiction before august 4 that I have made a fairly significant change to the end of chapter five. Please go and read it before continuing on to this chapter.

* * *

It was 4 days later and the girls hadn't received a response to their note. They didn't think much of it though. They were planning on staying in that morning so neither of them felt the need to get out of their pajamas. They were eating breakfast in the Dining Hall when they heard hooves on the stone outside.

"Is that Orion?" asked Lucy.

"No it's two sets of hooves at least, I'm sure of it," said Susan craning her neck to see if she could spot the visitors. Lucy stood in her seat and she squealed with excitement before sprinting out of the door, "Lucy! You're still in your night gown!" but when she stood and saw who was walking up to the front doors she ran out of the room without a thought of what she looked like.

Lucy threw the doors open, ran down the path, her robe flying out behind her, and jumped into Mr.Tumnus's arms, "I can't believe it! So _you're_ the surprise!" she said laughing.

Tumnus held her at arm's length to see how she had changed, "Has it really been only two years since I last saw you? You've grown up so much!" he said, "And I like what you've done to your hair, it makes you look much older when it is longer."

"Yes, yes. But look at you! You haven't changed a bit! Why you are even still wearing the same scarf from the last time I saw you, really we'll have to make you a new one," Lucy said taking the scarf in her hands and seeing that the yarn was wearing thin.

"Hey, Lu! I almost died! Where's my hug?" Edmund asked looking slightly offended. Lucy laughed and hugged him.

"I'm so glad you're alright," she said, her voice muffled in his chest. She was trying not to cry again at the thought of her brother almost dying. She held onto him. Seeing him and feeling him finally made her accept that he was alright. She turned to her eldest brother and hugged him too. By this time Susan was hugging Edmund and crying her eyes out.

"Susan! I'm ok! Stop crying!" he said looking very confused and even a little frightened. Lucy, Peter and Tumnus laughed.

"We weren't expecting you for three more days atleast! How did you get here so fast? Are the people with you?" Lucy asked Peter.

"Well we left some older Narnian folk to handle the traveling. So we were allowed to leave early!" said Edmund as Susan finally released him.

"I'm starving! Anyone for breakfast?" asked Peter. They all agreed and Susan went to the fauns to tell them that Brunch should be made for 6 in the smaller dining room. On her way back she went to find Thomas for brunch.

"Thomas! Our brothers and our oldest friend arrived this morning. Won't you come and join us for brunch?" she asked once she found him roaming around the gardens outside.

"I would be delighted!" said Thomas and they joined the rest of the party who were already chatting happily.

They were seated at a small round table, which looked comically small compared with the great hall they were in. Six places were set and two of them were left empty between Lucy and Peter. The table order went like this; Lucy, Tumnus, Edmund, Peter, Susan and Thomas. Peter and Tumnus were drinking mimosas and there was one left for Susan when she arrived. They all spoke about the exciting changes that would be occurring in the coming weeks. Tumnus agreed to stay until the village was finished and built. Lucy was delighted because it would take a month atleast.

Their food arrived and Tumnus was very interested in what Thomas chose to eat, "I've never seen a cat eat eggs and hashbrowns," said Tumnus watching Thomas eat his spinach and feta omelette with much enthusiasm.

"It's a shame isn't it? They really are missing out," Thomas said taking a particularly large bite of egg. Tumnus laughed but he inquired more into it. Thomas admitted after a while that he wasn't a normal Narnian cat.

"Then what kind of cat are you?" asked Lucy.

"That would take much explaining! And I would tell you only it would take all the time you have to catch up with your siblings and your friend," said Thomas.

Soon Peter was answering the constant stream of Susan's questions about the plans for the new people while Tumnus and Thomas were telling Lucy the strange legends and ghost stories of the western wood. Edmund sat there, sipping his apple juice, lost in thought. He hadn't really thought much about what he saw when he passed out. But now, sitting among those whose lives were put at risk because of Edmund's stupid decisions, the dream wouldn't leave his mind.

It was most strange though, far different from any other nightmare he had where the Witch haunted his mind. This had been very different indeed, he had stared into his own face and not recognized it. It was almost as if someone had wanted him to see how terrible he was from an outsider's point of view, that way he wouldn't be able to make excuses that made him feel better about himself.

What scared him most was the end of the dream. He had felt himself slipping deeper and deeper into some sort of spiraling darkness that had been taking over his mind and body. He was sure if he had spent another second in the agony of that nightmare he would have fallen into darkness completely. Something saved him though… he unwillingly began to think over the different pictures that had come to his mind as he had felt himself being pulled into hell itself. _Aslan!_ He remembered the last thing he saw was Aslan asking Peter where he was. That was when he had reconnected with his body!

_I didn't deserve to be saved, _he thought to himself. _I'm a nasty little betrayer who doesn't deserve to be forgiven. _He was disgusted that he had called himself a king! _A king,_ he thought bitterly, _should be noble and brave. A king shouldn't sell out his family for Turkish Delight._

The anger must have shown on his face because Susan asked him, "Ed? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm just tired," said Edmund, "The illness I suppose. Would you all mind if I excused myself to rest?"

They all allowed him to leave and wished him a good rest.

"Now Lucy, what are you going to do for your birthday celebrations?" asked Tumnus.

"Oh we already have that planned Mr.Tumnus!" said Peter, and Susan giggled.

"What do you mean?" asked Lucy.

"We've planned a ball for you!" burst out Susan excietedly.

"What?! How long has this been planned?!" Lucy asked looking very confused.

"A little over a month," said Peter, "We were starting to send invitations out when Ed and I went to the West. But now we can finish sending them!"

"Well, who's invited?" Lucy asked.

"Everyone!" Susan said.

"When you say every one do you mean-" but Lucy was cut off.

"We mean everyone! Literally Lucy! Everyone! All of the animals and fauns and centaurs," she said laughing at the shocked look on her face.

"But why such a big deal for my birthday?" asked Lucy.

"Lucy! It's your thirteenth birthday! In Narnia that is when you become a woman!" Susan said.

"Well I suppose you're right," she said, the excitement bubbling up, "And I suppose the people will be invited too?"

"Of course!" said Peter.

With a birthday ball on the horizon and her best friend with her Lucy couldn't be happier

Her brother was a different story. Edmund was left to his self-hatred for the rest of the morning while he pretended to sleep. He couldn't stand to be around his family. They were kind, and trusting and Edmund didn't deserve them, or their forgiveness.

* * *

psst! in case you were wondering, Edmund's character isn't supposed to be in character! we find out it's significance in a few chapters.

Hey guys? would it kill you to review?

that doesn't apply to you elecktrum


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks for the reviews elecktrum and the1hobbit!! for elecktrum, you're right, I should have held off on the romance and such with Edmund. I was just trying to make the story a little happier but I should have waited. And the1hobbit, yes he did recover quickly but the "illness" is far more of a mental illness then a physical illness (as you'll find out in this chapter!!)

* * *

Edmund lay awake in his bed. His brother was snoring softly. It was the eve of Lucy's birthday but Edmund wasn't very excited like the rest of his family. He hadn't been eating right, or spending time with his family. He would constantly use the excuse of his illness to go and take a nap, just so he could be away from his family. Tonight, like every other night, he wasn't sleeping. Ever since he returned home he had been unable to sleep which left him hours and hours to think over the mistakes that he had made years ago.

"How can I ever make up for it?" thought Edmund.

_Punishment…_

Edmund sat upright on his bed, whipping his head around the dark room looking for the source of the voice. He was sure that that wasn't in his head. But he saw nothing. Perhaps he was just tired. He tried to get a few hours of sleep before they all went to breakfast

* * *

Peter, Susan and Lucy were all sitting down to breakfast, their brother was late, as he had been for most of their meals. Not only was he always late but he would usually eat as fast as he could and then leave before everyone else, claiming he was tired and needed rest. 

After Peter and Susan had wished Lucy a happy birthday Susan asked, "What's the matter with Edmund?"

"What do you mean?" asked Lucy.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed Lucy," said Susan, "Edmund has been avoiding us for a week now."

"It's just his illness I'm sure, he needs his rest," Lucy said looking a little worried.

"What do you think Peter?" Susan asked Peter looking more serious. She thought her brother would give her a straight answer.

Peter looked down at his tea remembering Edmund before he had awaken. He had been very disturbed by what his brother said, and was now even more upset seeing as his brother was ignoring them altogether. But he was saved the trouble of answering when Edmund himself walked in.

"Happy birthday Lucy!" he said brightly, but the second his sibling's eyes were off him his smile vanished. Edmund sat eating his bacon in silence as his sisters and brother talked happily about the ball that night.

"Everyone will start arriving mid afternoon and the ball will start at dusk!" said Susan. She seemed to be more excited then anyone, even Lucy.

Again Edmunds thought started to slip right back into the well practiced routine that always led to the same question. "How can I make up for what I did?"

_Punishment, _Edmund cracked his neck he spun his head around so fast. He looked to see if his family had heard the voice but they were all talking merrily about the ball still.

"Do I really deserve punishment?" he asked himself, or the voice or what ever it was that kept on whispering in his ear.

_A traitor, deserves whatever punishment he gets, _Edmund suddenly realized he should not be asking this voice questions. Partly because he knew it wasn't normal to hear voices and partly because he didn't like the answers.

* * *

Later that afternoon Susan and Thomas were picking out a gown for Susan to wear to the ball. Thomas sat on her bed while she brought in gown after gown to ask his opinion of. Now she was bringing in a pale pink gown of silk. 

"I'm telling you Susan! I still like the green!" he said exasperated. He had been there for an hour atleast.

"Really?" she said picking up a green gown made of velvet. It had short sleeves and a wide neck that revealed her shoulders. The neckline fell into a graceful V above her chest, there a small brooch of emeralds sat. It was very simple but very beautiful, "Well let me try it on," she said looking at it doubtfully.

Thomas turned around to face the window and Susan laughed, "Guess I forgot about that," she said referring to the fact that she almost changed in front of a male, "Not that it matters, you are a cat and I am a Daughter of Eve. Wouldn't that be odd," she said taking off the dress she had on now, "an interspecies relationship I mean."

"Oh I'm sure it's not unheard of," he said looking out the window to see Lucy and Tumnus walking arm in arm in the garden, "Just ask your sister," he said very quietly to himself.

"What's that Tom?"

"Oh, nothing," he said.

* * *

Edmund sat on the beach, out of the sight of his family and friends. He was finding it harder and harder to be in their presence. 

_You need punishment, _said the voice.

Edmund shook his head vigorously.

_Do it yourself before they do,_

"Who?" he asked angrily.

_Your family, they want revenge…especially Peter,_

"You're lying," he said quietly.

_I can hear your thoughts Edmund, why can't I hear your brother's?_

This scared Edmund, "Who the hell are you anyways?" there wasn't an answer. After a long pause Edmund thought the voice had left but then he heard it again.

_Pain will help Edmund. Pain of the flesh will get rid of pain of the heart._

"No, it won't," he said angrily.

_It will! _Hissed the voice. Louder then before, _You must face the consequences of your actions! _

Edmund was biting his forearm as hard as he could and he wasn't trying to. His brain was screaming and telling him to stop it but even when he tried with every muscle in his body to pull his arm away from his mouth it wouldn't budge; he just kept on biting harder and harder. He tasted salty blood and suddenly it stopped as soon as it had started. Edmund looked at his arm and saw that he was bleeding onto the sand leaving red droplets here and there. There were two curved cuts on either side of his arm that were from his front teeth.

Horrified at what he had just done he sprinted back to the castle. He ran through a back door that led to a usually empty hallway with a bathroom. He ran in and was relieved to see the hallway empty. Once in the bathroom he saw that his arm was now bruising and swelling. He gasped as he ran his arm under cold water. Edmund fumbled around in the mirror cabinet and found gauze and bandages. Once he had wrapped his arm up he sat on the toilet and rested his forehead in his good hand.

"What's happening to me?" he whispered, tears stinging at his eyes from the pain.

* * *

Peter was getting dressed when he saw something outside that made him catch his breath and double check to see if he were awake. There was a great beast walking across the field towards the castle. Peter bolted out of the door and headed first for the girls bedroom. He knocked so hard that his knuckles turned red, "Susan? Lucy? Come out! This is serious!" 

Susan opened the door, "Peter! Do you like this gown? Or would you prefer green?" she said looking down at herself.

"Lovely. Whatever. But that doesn't matter, you won't believe it Susan! Come, we have to get Lucy and Edmund,"

"What? Why?" said Susan looking frightened.

"_Aslan!"_ he said with a twinkle in his eye. Susan screamed and went running down the hallway with Peter.

"Lucy's in the garden with Tumnus," she said running towards the side door. They found her and Susan grabbed her arm as they started running.

"Edmund! Where's Edmund?" asked Lucy frantically once they told her.

"No idea," said Peter as they ran straight into Aslan himself. They all seemed very embarrassed as they bowed low to him.

"Rise," said Aslan simply. They all rose and saw his warm eyes. Their embarrassment seemed to melt away. He looked at each of their faces in turn, an unreadable expression in his golden face.

"You have truly become Kings and Queens," he said quietly. Behind Aslan's back the three pevensies could see their brother sprinting across the grass towards them, Edmund was 10 feet behind Aslan when he said "But where is the fourth?" Lucy let out a small giggle and pointed to Edmund.

"I'm here! I'm here!" he said out of breath as he finally reached them. He felt a great wave of relief as he looked into Aslan's eyes. Edmund's gratitude must have showed, Aslan nodded his head with a smile and it dawned on Edmund. "Exactly the same," he thought to himself, "Exactly the same as when he saved me last time."

* * *

I was kind of hesitant about this chapter, wasn't sure if I should include the part on the beach but too late for that.

Hey guys! Let's all take a leaf out of elecktrums book and review this story!! (thankyou elecktrum!! and thanks the1hobbit for answering my plea last time)

In case you were wondering Edmund is not going crazy.


	11. Chapter 11

Hmmm, really can't think of how to start this chapter. For the past few days I've been sitting in front of my computer screen with an open word document and written absolutely nothing. But today I decided I'm just going to do it. So if it's a shitty beginning it's because I really didn't have too many plans for this chapter.

Xxxxxxxx

Nearly all of the guests had arrived and dusk was drawing near. Everyone was sitting at their tables eating appetizers in the 3 story high ballroom. Through the ceiling high windows you could see dazzling lights twinkling on the surface of the water from the dying sunset. Everyone was in their best clothes and the hall was filled with excited chatter. When the double doors opened the crowd began to clap as Peter, Susan and Edmund walked in. Susan did wear the green dress that Thomas suggested along with a silver headband with emeralds, her hair was in an elaborate bun. The three waved to the crowd.

Peter raised his hand for silence. The people stopped clapping at once, "It is my honor to introduce our guest of Honor. Queen Lucy on her thirteenth birthday!"

The doors opened and nearly everyone in the room gasped. Lucy was looking positively radiant in a white silk gown. The dress was spaghetti strapped and flared out just a bit from her hips down. It showed her new womanly figure just enough. Her dark hair was falling in perfect curls around her face and she was wearing a silver tiara of sapphires and diamonds. But it wasn't Lucy's beauty everyone was looking at, it was the beast who walked beside her. Aslan had escorted her inside, the old Narnians were all pointing fingers and squealing with excitement, where as the new people were either looking confused or frightened.

"Welcome newcomers," Aslan said to the crowd, "It is I who brought you here to your new home, for I knew that your good Kings and Queens would take you in with the utmost kindness," he said. He accompanied Lucy to the dance floor and said, "I'm sure many of you would like to dance with this fine queen. Lucy, you may have your choice."

She looked around and was surprised to see almost every man in the room was smoothing their hair or eagerly smiling at her. She turned to her right and saw who she was looking for. Tumnus was trying not to laugh as he looked at two young men actually flexing their muscles and posing for Lucy. When Lucy laughed and walked over they both seemed very excited, until she pulled Tumnus out of the crowd. The music started and Lucy put one hand on Tumnus's shoulder and held his other hand, which was so much bigger then hers she noticed. Tumnus seemed a little hesitant as he put his hand on her waist. They began to do a simple waltz.

When Lucy looked up at Tumnus's he looked back at her for a long time, suddenly Lucy felt very conscious of Tumnus's hand on her waist and how close their torsos were. She felt butterflies in her stomach as Tumnus gazed at her before he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Happy Birthday Lucy." As he pulled his head away she felt the soft tickle of his side burns on her cheek and she felt her face burn.

Susan and Peter were the next to dance. Edmund saw Anne on the far side of the hall and once he had reached her they began to dance too. Soon everyone had partners and the room was full of couples. After the first song everyone clapped and many switched partners.

A handsome young man came up to Lucy and Tumnus. He tapped on Tumnus's shoulder and asked, "May I?" he gestured towards Lucy.

"Of course," said Tumnus.

"Actually, just one more song," said Lucy to the man who nodded and walked away.

"Am I really that handsome that you can't let me go?" Tumnus said laughing. Normally Lucy would have laughed too, but tonight things were strange between her and Tumnus. She felt like part of that statement was true. "Don't you worry my queen, I will come back and save you from all of these eager young bachelors. But first you must make it _seem _like you are giving them a chance. Put on a good show for the newcomers!" he said as he pulled away from her. He began to walk away but she was still holding onto his hand, "I will come back Lucy," he said softly giving her hand a squeeze.

Edmund broke apart from Anne and said, "I'll be back in a bit Anne, I just need to speak with Aslan."

She looked a little upset, "Edmund, I really need to talk to you."

"Alright," he said a little confused. She mumbled something, "Pardon me?" Edmund said.

"I-I have a boyfriend Edmund," she said quietly.

Edmund laughed, "Well that's a shame," he said smiling at her, "It's fine, really. I'm ok with it. I'd rather be friends," she thanked him and he left her. He struggled through all of the dancing couples until he finally reached the royal table. The table sat 7; Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, Tumnus, Thomas and Aslan. Aslan was sitting in his large chintz chair gazing at the dancing couples. When Edmund sat down next to him he said, "Aslan, there's something I need to-"

"We will worry later my dear friend. For now, enjoy the celebrations, we will talk tomorrow," he said quietly still watching the crowd.

"Then- then you know?" asked Edmund feeling ashamed of himself.

Aslan turned to Edmund. His eyes were full of sorrow, "I know enough."

Edmund felt the need to explain himself. "I-I'm sorry Aslan. I don't know what's come over me," he said quietly feeling where his bandages were on his right arm.

"It is not your fault Edmund," said Aslan. Edmund had the feeling Aslan wanted him to leave so he went back into the crowd. He soon found a beautiful girl with brown hair in a maroon dress. She was one of the many girls he would dance with that night.

Where Peter and Susan were dancing there seemed to be an excess of young men and women. Each person was completely uninterested in their partners and they all seemed to be waiting for Susan and Peter to stop dancing. Susan and Peter had noticed this and the second song they kept on suggesting different dance partners for the next.

"There's a very pretty blonde behind you Peter," Susan said.

"Where?" asked Peter looking left and right.

"Spin me," said Susan, Peter did. She spun in a way pulling Peter so he was facing the other way, towards the blonde.

"Oh, yes. She'll do," he said with a gleam in his eye.

"Do you think the tall one on your left? Or the sandy haired one behind me?" Susan asked.

"Hmm, the tall bloke. The sandy haired boy has a big nose," said Peter after a moments observation. Susan giggled and when they broke apart, four or five boys, including the tall man, abandoned their dance partners to approach Susan. Susan took the tall boy's outstretched hand and they began to do a neat boxstep to the next song. Peter walked up to the pretty blonde girl and asked her to dance with him.

Three songs later Peter was still dancing with the blonde girl. But Susan couldn't seem to keep one partner considering men kept on interrupting her right as she was beginning to become accustomed to the one she was dancing with. Susan saw Peter and the blonde girl, whose name was Monica, talking happily.

"Good choice?" Susan whispered to him as she steered her partner close to her brother.

"Perfect," he said as he turned back to his and Monica's conversation.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later Lucy was very tired out from dancing with, what seemed like, hundreds of boys. She had never had so much attention from men, she didn't mind it in the least. She looked up and saw that Peter was talking to Aslan. She was asked to dance by another man so she couldn't join them.

Edmund had danced almost every song with a different girl, but still there seemed to be more. The voice he had been hearing hadn't said a word, but Edmund could still feel it. As if it were hiding. More then once that night he had felt like Aslan was watching him, but every time he looked up Aslan was always talking to some old friend or watching the crowd. He had the feeling again as he and a girl he had danced with for four songs sat down for a drink, when he looked up he saw Peter telling Aslan something. When Peter had finished Aslan sat in thought for a moment. Then his eyes fell directly on Edmund.

Edmund felt his stomach sink, "Aslan is surely telling him how crazy I am," he thought. He decided to join them. When he arrived they did indeed stop talking immediately. But Edmund felt alright once a new subject had been brought up.

Meanwhile a monstrous cake was being transported from the kitchen to the dining hall under the careful watch of Grandmother Cecilia. It was placed upon a large table against a wall. And soon Lucy was being pushed by the crowd towards the concoction. When she finally reached the table grandmother Cecilia handed her a knife. Lucy made a deep cut through the two bottom layers and every one cheered. They sang happy birthday much to Lucy's embarrassment. Once they all were happily eating cake and Lucy was no longer the center of attention, she felt a hand in hers gently pulling her out the door of the hall. It was Tumnus.

"Thank goodness Tumnus!" she said happily, "I was roasting in there."

"Yes, well I figured you would need some fresh air after having to deal with old man breath for an hour," said Tumnus, Lucy giggled.

Tumnus was still holding her hand and leading her to the beach. She noticed he had a blanket tucked under his arm along with a small box wrapped in golden paper. He was holding a large piece of cake with two forks on the plate. When they finally reached a secluded part of the beach Tumnus stopped and let go of Lucy's hand. He laid out the blanket while Lucy took off her shoes. Lucy sat on the blanket next to Tumnus. The cake was left forgotten on the sand, Lucy didn't feel much like eating.

Tumnus picked up the small present and handed it to Lucy, "I wasn't sure what to get you," he said twirling the hair on his right thigh on his index finger nervously. He looked extremely anxious. Lucy unwrapped the present, revealing a mahogany wooden box with the face of a woman carved into it. "Open it," said Tumnus. Inside was a silver ring encrusted with tiny pearls and diamonds all around the band.

Tumnus looked at her anxiously, "It was my grandmother's. Queen Maria gave it to her over 500 years ago. That's her, on the box. When she died she left it to my father, who gave it to my mother," he seemed very embarrassed as he said the last part, "But they're both dead now and I- I want you to have it," he said looking away. "It's alright if you don't like it... I know you have a lot of jewelry as the queen," he said quietly.

Lucy didn't know what to say, it was easily the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, and coming from Tumnus it meant the world to her. He was looking away from Lucy, under the impression that she didn't like it. Lucy wrapped her arms around Tumnus's waist and pulled him into a hug, he returned it. She rested her head on his chest and they watched the waves crash on the sand in each others arms for a long time. His hands were in her hair and Lucy's resting on Tumnus's hip.

Lucy and Tumnus dozed off after an hour or so and Lucy awoke to Tumnus gently shaking her awake. Without trying to she brought her head up so that their noses were less then an inch apart. Tumnus smiled sleepily at her but Lucy jumped after a moment realizing how close they were. They were lying on their backs in the sand. She had adjusted her position in her sleep so she was curled up with her legs in his lap. Her arms were still around him, though one of them slipped so that it was resting on his soft thigh. He had taken his hands from her hair but the intimacy of the position still shocked her. "Sorry," said Tumnus looking ashamed all of a sudden. He stood immediately and they went back to the castle in silence.

When they reached their chambers Tumnus walked her to her door and said, "Goodnight," stiffly.

He began to walk towards his room but Lucy stopped him, "Tumnus?" He turned around to face her. She couldn't make out his expression in the dark. She wanted to say a lot to him right now, but all that came out was, "Thankyou."

"You're welcome Lucy," he said softly. She smiled in the dark though she knew he couldn't see her.

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"Lucy! Where have you been?" asked Susan annoyed. She was sitting in her bed reading a novel.

"Tumnus wanted to give me his present," said Lucy not wanting to share the details of the night.

"Yes, that was 3 hours ago Lucy," Susan said.

"Well," she said the color growing in her cheeks, "we-we fell asleep… on the beach."

Susan gave her a searching look before saying, "Alright. Let's get to bed."

Lucy changed into her nightgown, her mind full of thoughts of the beach. The ring, the waves, the way Tumnus's fur felt beneath her fingers. She got into bed and opened up the box that held the ring. She held it in the moonlight, the diamonds twinkled and the pearls glowed. She couldn't help but notice that she smelled like him now. She breathed in his woody scent. She didn't know that a certain faun was breathing in _her_ scent and remembering the beach too, only five doors down.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ok, so some of you will say that I'm over doing the Lucy/Tumnus thing but it's really the only romantic scene between the two of them for a loooooong time. So there was a lot more stuff with them then I anticipated.

Review!!!


	12. Chapter 12

WOOT! Last chapter was exciting cuz I reached 1000 hits and (drum roll please) 2 WHOLE REVIEWS!!! That isn't much to brag about buuuuut it makes me happy! And I have a special treat for you all! I explain!!! Aren't you excited? And yes, Aslan isn't just there for a birthday visit.

Thanks for the reviews elecktrum (sp?) and floppyearsthebunny!

* * *

The morning after the ball everyone slept in, everyone except for Lucy. She lay awake in her bed looking at her ring in the light of the morning sun. She got up after a bit and put on a periwinkle dress. She brushed her hair and slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her right hand. She held her hand to her stomach and admired the way the pearls shone against the soft purplish blue fabric. She went to the breakfast hall and sat in thought for more then an hour before Edmund joined her. He looked frazzled and when he saw her he jumped. 

Edmund was so nervous because he knew he had to talk to Aslan today. "Morning Lucy," he said after he got over his shock.

"Good morning, did you enjoy the ball?" Lucy asked taking a sip of her orange juice.

"It was lovely; did you dance with anyone interesting?" Edmund asked in an overly casual voice.

"Oh, no one too special," she said, though her mind was wandering to Tumnus's hand on her waist as they had danced. Did Tumnus care for her more then a friend? She had asked herself this over and over again the night before. The question that confused her more was whether or not she returned those sorts of feelings.

"Mhm, and tell me Lucy. Where did you disappear to an hour before the ball ended?" he asked. When Lucy didn't answer he said, "I knew it! You ran off with some boy didn't you?" he said pointing a finger at her. "Who was it? You know Peter and I will have to deal with him. What's his name?"

"I did not run off with some boy! I wouldn't do that, I'm only 13!" she said, "I got tired, and I simply went to bed early."

Edmund said, "We'll see about that!"

Soon Peter came in and Susan too. Before she had even shut the door Edmund had said, "Susan! When you went back to your room last night was Lucy there?"

"Yes of course, she was already asleep when I arrived," she said without hesitance. Lucy had to hand it to her; she was an excellent liar when she needed to be.

"What? I was sure she had run off with some boy," said Edmund looking a little confused.

Peter looked up from his porridge; he was half asleep and had just started listening to the conversation. "What?! Who ran off with some boy?!" he said furiously looking from Lucy's face to Susan's and back again.

"No one Peter, Edmund is just being silly," said Susan soothingly sitting between him and Edmund. She was the only one who could calm Peter down when he was angry. Peter seemed to accept it and went back to staring into his porridge trying not to fall asleep.

They didn't talk much; they all were still exhausted from their long night of dancing. They all decided they would have to begin the plans for the town. Peter suggested they go to the people's camp so that they could get general information on all the families. They had all gotten onto their horses and were heading towards the camp when they spotted Aslan approaching them.

"I will need Edmund today," said Aslan.

They all accepted and Peter even looked a little jealous. "Yea you wouldn't be jealous if you had a nasty little voice whispering in your ear," thought Edmund angrily.

"Come," said Aslan, he led Edmund to the garden. Aslan sat in the grass and Edmund sat on a rock near him. "Tell me what you saw at the Witch's house," Aslan said giving Edmund a piercing look.

Edmund paused for a moment. He didn't want to recount his horrible vision, but he knew he had to tell Aslan so he could fix it. "I saw myself four years ago. It was when I met the White Witch. But it was strange, I didn't recognize myself. And it felt different then the first time," he said remembering the trees in particular.

"When did you realize what you saw was yourself?" asked Aslan.

"When Lucy came, she called out my name. And I thought she was talking to me, but she was talking to him," he said.

"Him? Him meaning you four years ago?" asked Aslan. Edmund nodded. "What happened next Edmund?" said Aslan. Edmund didn't say anything; the horrific images were beginning to come back, "Edmund this is key. You must tell me."

"I saw… horrible things. Things I-I could have stopped. It was terrible… I felt like I was going to die Aslan, really. I was sure of it," he said his face full of fear.

"You were supposed to," said Aslan. Edmund looked shocked and he felt sick, "The spell was intended to kill the victim, but only after putting them through as much emotional pain as possible. It was Jadis's cruelest form of murder."

Edmund stuttered, "Jadis?! You mean the White Witch put that spell on me?!" he said looking horrified, "But she's-"

"Dead? Yes, but the power she held still lives on." Edmund didn't understand so Aslan continued, "Magic, is not something that you pull out of thin air. Think of it as a beast which you must tame in order to receive its services. The dark and cruel magic that Jadis used remained loyal only to her because she is the only being evil enough to use it."

"I don't understand, if there's no one to use the magic how was that spell put on me? Can all magic do this?" asked Edmund.

"No, not all magic. Other magic has many people who it is loyal to. But I told you that this sort of magic has only been used by one person, it only had one person to please, and that one person relied upon it. I am shocked that the magic acted on its own accord. I have never seen such a thing. But it is understandable. Jadis wanted the blood of a traitor; I gave myself in exchange for your life. Had Jadis been alive to argue, I am sure she would have said my resurrection reversed the sacrifice. She would want you dead once more. The magic she used lingers at her home; it has no where else to go having no other masters. When you approached the palace, it must have recognized you and tried to do its master one last service. It tried to kill you."

Edmund was in complete disbelief now, "But if this magic can act on its own, won't it go wreaking havoc across the countryside? Or destroy Narnia?"

"Your situation was incredibly unique, I believe that only under the rarest of circumstances could such a thing like what happened to you occur. You are one of the four people in the world that Jadis would do anything to kill. You were thinking of horrible memories, which made your mind very weak to a curse which only emphasized those thoughts to the extreme. And lastly, you were at the Witch's house, the place where the witch used her magic the most, the remaining magic thrives there," said Aslan. Edmund tried to take it all in.

"How did I survive?" asked Edmund, "You said that the curse was intended to kill me. Why did I live?" he remembered the feeling of being dragged down into nothingness.

"You tell me Edmund. It is an incredibly strong curse, I believe I have only known one other to have survived what you have been through," said Aslan.

Edmund remembered, "It was you. You saved me."

Aslan blinked and asked, "How?"

"I was seeing all of these images and they just got worse and worse. And then I saw you and Peter and a crowd behind him. You asked him 'Where is the fourth?' Then everyone disappeared and it was just you and me, you said it again, only this time you asked me, not Peter. I started yelling 'I'm here' and suddenly I could see Peter and I was in my tent."

Aslan thought for many minutes. "It wasn't me, it was you. You fought Edmund, that's the only explanation I have for you," they sat in silence for a long time. "But why aren't you fighting now Edmund?" he asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" asked Edmund.

"What happened to your arm?" he asked looking at the white bandages.

"I-I fell onto a stone on the beach," said Edmund nervously.

"Do not lie to me Edmund," said Aslan barely louder then a whisper.

Edmund felt so ashamed, the tears came once more. "I… I bit myself," he looked away, "I didn't mean to… I couldn't help it."

"You could have Edmund ," Aslan said.

Edmund shook his head, "It's like I'm going mad, this voice keeps on whispering in my ear… terrible things."

"It is part of the spell Edmund. When the King who resisted the original curse survived, she changed the curse. If someone were to survive, they would be driven by their own self-loathing to kill themselves."

Edmund spluttered, "Kill myself? I would never ever do that! That's ridiculous!"

Aslan looked at him and said quietly, "Did you think that you would bite yourself until you bled and bruised a week ago?" Edmund didn't respond. It was true, he would never have dreamed of doing such a thing to himself, the thought that this whisper would actually push him to kill himself terrified Edmund.

"Please Aslan," Edmund whispered, "You must help me."

"I cannot help you. You must fight it yourself," said Aslan.

Edmund was starting to panic. Aslan couldn't help him? He had tried to fight it on the beach but nothing stopped himself. "How? I've tried!" Edmund wanted to scream but he resisted the impulse.

"You must accept it Edmund. Yes, you made a crucial mistake as a boy. But you are different now. You have made up for your past tenfold. And keeping away from your family and friends only feeds the curse. The more you trust the voice the more power it gets, the easier for it to control you. Fight it Edmund, you know that it is wrong," Aslan told Edmund.

Edmund's panic did not subside. He spoke the next words so quietly that you might have thought it was the wind, "What if… What if I can't fight it?"

Aslan looked at Edmund for a long time, "Then you will destroy yourself."

Aslan turned his back on Edmund and walked away. Edmund sat glued to the spot for a moment. Instead of comforting Edmund like he had hoped, Aslan only made him more afraid then he had ever been. He went running after Aslan but when he left the garden, Aslan had gone. He had been Edmund's only hope to get rid of this sickness inside of him, and he had just disappeared.

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mmk guys!! hope that was explanation enough! if you think i didn't explain something then just tell me about it and i'll try to include it in the next couple of chapters.next chapter is still a little fuzzy so it might take a few days! 

REVIEW!!!!!!!! (please)


	13. Chapter 13

3 REVIEWS!!! NEW RECORD!!! I'm actually so happy about that! Thanks so much elecktrum, the1hobbit and floppyearsthebunny!

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The voice in Edmund's head had returned mere minutes after Aslan had disappeared, telling him Aslan was a liar.

"Oh yes, because Aslan has always been a notorious liar," said Edmund sarcastically. The voice seemed to recoil into a corner for the rest of the day.

But three days later the voice was still whispering nasty things to Edmund. And each time they became more and more sinister. At breakfast that morning it had said,

_What's the point of living with a family who hates you?_

"Hmm, good question. Maybe you should ask someone who cares," Edmund responded in his mind.

But Edmunds sarcastic remarks didn't seem to do anything to weaken the voice. Edmund even considered the voice's suggestions for hours at a time. He only heard the voice when he was feeling especially guilty for what he had done. And the guilt that had remained in his stomach since he had awoken from the vision seemed to intensify with each passing day. Now every morning he would put on a happy face and help his brother and sisters go about their daily business. But this didn't help either.

_What's the point of living… with a family who wants you dead?_

Edmund didn't respond. He excused himself from the table and went to his room. He opened up the drawers of his dresser and rummaged through the things until he found what he was looking for. He rolled up his sleeve revealing the pale skin beneath. He took the knife and cut his bandages off, revealing his teeth marks.

His bruise was old and was now a nasty yellowish green. The cuts themselves were red and puffy. It was infected and he had to get some antibacterial. He went down to the kitchen and found the medicine cabinet. He took some clean white bandages and antibacterial. He returned to his room and started to clean his arm off with a wet hand towel. He heard the door creak open and saw Lucy standing in the doorway.

She saw his arm (which she thought had been cut by a rock on the beach) and said, "Oh Edmund! That looks nasty! Let me help you," she said walking over and taking the towel from him.

"No it's ok Lucy," he said pulling his arm out of her view.

"No really Edmund, that looks infected," she said pulling his arm and starting to clean it. Edmund prayed that she wouldn't realize what had really happened to create the strangely shaped cut, "I wonder why it bruised," she said as she began to rub the antibacterial onto his arm onto the cut from his lower teeth. She took the bandages from Edmund's other hand and started to wrap them around his forearm. She turned his arm over because the bandage had twisted up on that side and she saw the edge of the second cut.

Edmund held his breath as she started to unravel the fabric not taking her eyes off of the cut. She ran her finger across it and then turned his arm over and saw the other one, almost exactly the same. Edmund saw Lucy look up at him, but he looked down at his bedspread, forcing himself not to meet her eyes. After a minute Lucy turned back to his arm. She began to clean the second cut and put the antibacterial on it. Edmund could tell she knew what he had done. She began again to put the bandages on his arm.

When she stood up Edmund was sure she was going to ask him what he had done or maybe tell him he was crazy. Edmund made eye contact at last. The look that Lucy gave him made him feel guiltier then anything. She looked confused and afraid. He could tell that she was trying not to cry. Edmund felt horrible, he was disgusted at what he had done to himself and what he had done to Lucy and his other siblings. He had abandoned them and trusted the voice in his ear. His family loved him, and they wouldn't want him to hurt himself.

* * *

The next morning Edmund waited for Peter to leave for breakfast before getting up. He wanted to make sure he wouldn't be alone with Lucy. He got dressed and went to the dining hall. He saw Peter and Susan having a conversation about the differences between fairies and pixies. They both said good morning then continued to talk. Lucy came in a half hour later. She didn't look at Edmund but said good morning to everyone. She got her breakfast and settled down. She eventually joined in on Peter and Susan's conversation. Susan left to see Thomas and Edmund left a little after that. He went to his room like the morning before to change his bandages.

Lucy entered a few minutes after him. Edmund thought she wanted to talk to him, but she only sat beside him and began cleaning his wound carefully. She didn't say a word as she finished putting the bandages on.

"Thanks," Edmund mumbled. Lucy looked up at him and gave him a small smile. She left without saying a word. Edmund knew this was her way of showing him she was there for him.

_She doesn't care for you._

"No, she does," he said to himself. And for the first time in weeks, he believed it.

* * *

For the next two mornings Lucy did the same thing. She'd come in and clean his arm and then leave. It was a small gesture but it made Edmund feel cared about again. He even began to notice that the voice became more nervous and spoke less frequently.

The fifth morning Lucy came in as always and cleaned his arm. When she finished and got up to leave Edmund stopped her, "Can I talk to you Lucy?" She sat back down and Edmund said, "Something has been happening to me. And I thought I should tell someone."

"I knew something was wrong when Aslan came. I didn't think he came just to wish me a happy birthday," she said smiling a little.

"Well… when I fainted I saw some things," he said reluctantly. He told her all that he had witnessed and the horrible pain that he experienced when he realized it was him who he had been watching, "And I woke up. But when I came back home… I couldn't stand to be around you all. You all could have been dead because of me. And then… something happened one night when I couldn't sleep…"

"What was it Edmund?" Lucy asked.

"This voice whispered in my ear. And it hasn't stopped since. It's been telling me horrible things… and on the beach on your birthday it told me that I needed punishment for my past. And… I bit myself. I couldn't help it though, I tried to stop it," he said.

_She thinks you're crazy Edmund…and who wants a crazy traitor brother? Who would want _you_ as a brother when she could have Peter?_

"Just shut up!" he said out loud without trying to.

Lucy looked at him sadly, "Is it talking to you? What does it say?"

Edmund was reluctant to talk about this particular part. "It says that you all hate me. It says that you want me dead and that I should do it myself before you get a chance," he said quietly. He looked at Lucy and saw that she was wiping away a tear.

"Sorry… well when Aslan had me stay with him that day when you went to the camp, he explained everything. He told me when I fainted that it was a curse; it was intended to kill me. But I survived. And this is a part of the curse too. He said… he said that if I don't fight this voice then I'm going to kill myself."

_Why are you telling her this? She wants you dead; she doesn't care _how _you die, so long as you're dead._

Lucy had given up hiding her tears. "Can I help at all? Is there anything I can do?" she asked.

Edmund shook his head, "I don't think so Lucy."

She hugged him and said, "We love you so much Edmund. Don't ever forget it. We don't care if you did stupid things when you were a kid, you're different now and we all know it. Just please, whatever you do, don't hurt yourself anymore. I can't stand to see you like this. And I don't know what I'd do if you k-… if you died."

"I know, I'm trying," he said to her. For the first time, he felt like he could beat this curse.

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Hmmm, I like this chapter. For some reason Edmund has suddenly turned into Tai from digimon in my mind. It's very bizarre. Anywaaaaaaaaaaaaays, hope you liked it!

Review!!!


	14. Chapter 14

Thanks elecktrum! Every time I go to write this chapter I end up _reading _fanfiction not writing it. I just watched high school musical 2! Which was better then I thought it would be. Sorry that was a bit random.

In the words of Kenan and Kel

Aw here goes!

* * *

A week had passed since Edmund had spoken to Lucy. Her words had helped Edmund immensely. He finally was becoming his old self again. He hadn't heard the voice at all the day before and it didn't show any signs of coming back. At lunch that day he and Peter had been ragging on Susan for her perfect hair.

"Honestly! There's not a single hair on your head that is out of place!" said Edmund.

"Not one! How long does it take you to do your hair every morning?" asked Peter.

Susan was annoyed but not too much. Whether Peter and Edmund knew it or not they were giving her a compliment. "Less then 15 minutes! I am not a beauty queen!"

"No but you are a beautiful queen!" said Thomas as he walked in.

"Well yes, I can't deny that," Susan said throwing her hair back and striking a pose. Everyone laughed, Thomas leaped into the chair between Susan and Tumnus.

After the laughter had died down Peter cleared his throat. Lucy rolled her eyes and Edmund stifled a laugh. Whenever Peter was switching into High King mode he would always clear his throat and speak in a voice that was just slightly lower then normal. The clearing of the throat usually preceded a noble statement or an order of some sort. It was the 'Peter is about to be serious so listen up' noise.

"Now whether or not we want to, we really have to get a start on this new village. I think that we should gather in the library today and get a start on the plans," said Peter.

"Isn't that boy stuff? I think Susan and I should stay here and enjoy our lunch with Tumnus and Thomas," said Lucy.

"I don't care if it's boys stuff, I am not going to deal with Peters lectures on town structure, community organizations and The New Narnian initiation group on my own," said Edmund crossing his arms.

"Hey! The New Narnian Initiation group is a great way to include our new citizens!" said Peter defensively.

"You seemed to include them plenty on the dance floor last week," said Susan slyly. Lucy and Edmund exchanged amused smiles trying not to laugh.

Peter turned red, "Just for that you're definitely coming," said Peter.

"And what makes you think you have power over me?" asked Susan.

Peter gave her a triumphant smile, "Excuse me, is that how you speak to your _High King_?" Susan let out a sigh of defeat and grudgingly got up.

"Can I help? I don't mind, there'll be nothing to do without you all," said Tumnus.

"I'll help too," said Thomas.

"If you really want to," said Peter. And they agreed. They sat down to the largest table in the library and got out a long piece of parchment.

"Who will take notes?" asked Peter.

"Edmund you have the best handwriting," said Susan. Edmund still couldn't write with his infected arm. He looked at Lucy and she understood.

"I'll do it," she said. So Susan handed her the parchment and a quill.

"Now, there are forty-seven families and twenty-nine single people in need of homes, so we'll need seventy-six homes. Of course we'll build more then that because we have to accommodate for the kids moving out of their parents houses and new married couples and so on…" This was only the beginning of Peter's long boring speech.

Three and a half hours later Lucy was resting her head in the crook of her elbow while lazily writing down bits of Peter's words, she had already filled up the 4 feet of parchment. Tumnus had been braiding the hair on his thighs (Lucy taught him how to do a few weeks before). Edmund was tipping back in his chair so it was only on the back two legs; he was very close to dozing off. Thomas had actually curled up on his chair and fallen asleep without a care. Peter was the only one unaffected by the passing time. He also seemed oblivious to his siblings and friends' inattentiveness. Peter hadn't stopped speaking since the meeting had begun.

"… and I really think that that will be essential to the Town's success. I think that'll be enough for today," he said beaming at everyone around him.

Edmund had fallen asleep and his chair was slowly tipping backwards. It clattered onto the floor leaving Edmund spread eagled on the marble looking completely lost while Lucy fell into a fit of giggles.

* * *

Lucy decided to go for a stroll after dinner. She was walking out the door when she was stopped by Tumnus.

"You aren't going out by yourself are you?" he asked. She nodded and he furrowed his eyebrows, "No Lucy. You're a little girl and there is an entire camp full of strangers out there."

"I can take care of myself Tumnus, and I'm not a little girl," she said.

Tumnus looked strange, "No Lucy, you are." He looked the same way he did when they woke up on the beach together. "I'll go with you if you insist on leaving," he said.

Lucy couldn't help but remember the last time they had been alone together. She and Tumnus had been acting completely normal towards each other since the night of her birthday. They had been joking around just as much as usual and neither had mentioned that night since then. But Lucy still felt an odd sensation in her stomach if she held his gaze for too long or if he brushed his hand against hers by accident when they walked past each other in the halls.

They walked in silence through the fields. The sun had set over an hour ago so the sky was an inky blue; the stars were just starting to come out.

"I love having you here Tumnus," said Lucy after they had walked for a half an hour, "It's nice to have someone besides my family."

"I like being here too," said Tumnus looking around him at the lush green grass and the sea beyond the field.

"Will you stay here? Live here with us? You don't know how much I miss you when we're not together," she said.

Tumnus said, "The woods are my home. You want me to leave my friends and life behind to stay with you… that's a lot to ask."

"I knew you would say that, but I was hoping you wouldn't," she said sadly. They walked in silence until Tumnus suggested they turn around.

Lucy noticed that Tumnus seemed depressed. He kept on looking up at the stars and sighing sadly. Lucy wanted to make him smile but couldn't think of anything to do. She tried to talk about the town, and the people, but that subject died quickly. She commented on how bright the stars were and he just nodded his head.

She held his hand and asked, "What's wrong Tumnus?"

He stared at the sky for a moment before saying coldly, "I'm tired." He pulled his hand out of hers. This upset her. Not only would he not hold her hand, but he wouldn't talk to her either.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes," he said without any emotion.

"You're not mad at me are you?" she asked.

"No," said Tumnus. He wouldn't even look at her.

_What's the matter with you? _She thought to herself. This was not the way the faun usually behaved. Lucy had hardly ever heard a word come out of his mouth that wasn't warm and kind. When they reached the castle Tumnus went to his room without walking Lucy to her room or saying goodnight.

Lucy reached her bedroom and Susan wasn't there yet. She got into bed and picked up the mahogany box with the picture of Queen Maria carved into it. She opened it up to admire the ring and remembered how sweet and loving Tumnus had been that night. Then the memory of Tumnus refusing to hold her hand came to her and she snapped the box shut angrily. She went to bed with her clothes on thinking of how much she longed to be with the sweet Tumnus who fell asleep with her on the beach.

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Alrighty, like it? Well whether you did or not review! 


	15. Chapter 15

First of all I'm really sorry for the delay in this chapter! I know I haven't updated in months but school started and this is kind of a transition chapter. I just had some trouble with it and the result was me being a bum and not finishing it till now. I'm really sorry!!

Second of all the last chapter that I wrote I accidentally forgot to save my document on Microsoft word and I ended up putting only half of the chapter up unedited for one or two days. So if you think that you read it on the first or second day it was posted then go back and read the full chapter.

* * *

The temperature began to drop as September came. The town had been under construction for over a month now. The men and creatures from around Narnia were working from dawn till dusk under the supervision of Peter and Edmund, though they helped too. The woman had been making furniture and such. The construction had begun only a few days after Lucy and Tumnus had their bad night so she never got to see him except right before bed. Peter and Edmund came home for meals but Tumnus almost always ate with the other fauns from his part of the wood. The creatures came from near and far to help with the village.

Lucy was almost always in a bad mood these days. Her best friend had suddenly started avoiding her. Lucy had taken to sewing bedspreads for the townspeople with all of her concentration and not speaking unless spoken to.

One morning Lucy and Susan were sewing a set of blue sheets for a family in their room. Susan asked, "Have you been feeling alright?" Susan asked this question at least once a day.

Lucy was annoyed and said without looking up, "Susan you ask me this all the time. I'm fine."

"Lucy, don't play with me. I know something is wrong. You can tell me now or you can have me bother you every day until you can't stand it anymore," said Susan aggressively.

"It's none of your business," said Lucy.

"It's my business if you are going to be a brat to me while you're dealing with whatever it is you're dealing with. You can either keep quiet and put a smile on or tell me. You have no right to be so nasty and not tell me why!" Susan retorted

Lucy sighed, defeated. "If I tell you can't tell anyone alright? Especially not Peter and Edmund!"

"Of course not!"

"Well… It's Tumnus. I thought we were closer then ever…" she said thinking of her birthday, "But now it seems he doesn't want to have anything to do with me!" the anger began to well up once more.

"Has he been acting differently?" asked Susan.

"He's been cold and mean. We took a walk and he was acting… different. And ever since then he hasn't been talking to me at all!" said Lucy.

"Is there any reason that he should be mad at you?" asked Susan.

"No! I can't think of a single thing! First he's giving me the ring his father gave to his mother and then he's ignoring me completely!" she said angrily.

"What ring?" asked Susan.

Lucy turned red; she hadn't meant to say that. "Oh… just something he gave me…" she said trailing off.

"May I see it?" asked Susan. Lucy got up and went to her bureau. She pulled out the second drawer and took out the mahogany box. She handed it to Susan. She opened it and gasped.

"It's beautiful!" exclaimed Susan. Lucy hadn't worn the ring since the night she and Tumnus took that walk. "Why didn't you show me this?" Susan asked.

"I don't know…" said Lucy looking away. She had been a little embarrassed that Tumnus had given her something so meaningful.

Susan continued to look at the ring without speaking. She seemed to be in deep thought.

Susan looked up at Lucy, a suspicious look on her face. "What happened on your birthday?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" asked Lucy turning redder by the second.

"I mean what I said," said Susan. She had a feeling as to why Tumnus was acting strange.

"I already told you, he gave me the ring and then we fell asleep by accident," said Lucy.

"And nothing else?" asked Susan.

"Nothing," Lucy said a little too defensively

Susan gazed at the ring for another minute before saying, "Do you have feelings for him?"

"Of course, he's my best friend… or at least I thought he was," said Lucy.

"No I mean _feelings _for him. As in more then friends feelings," said Susan.

"I- no! Of course not!" said Lucy her voice shaking.

"Lucy, be honest. I'm not going to be mad or anything," said Susan.

Lucy thought for a moment before saying "I think I might have. But it doesn't matter. He obviously doesn't return the feelings. It doesn't even seem he cares for me as a friend anymore."

Susan looked at her sister sadly. She would hate to be in her situation. "Tumnus loves you! And don't ever think otherwise. He's just confused is all. He'll come around. I promise," said Susan. Lucy smiled weakly and continued to stitch her hem.

* * *

That night when Susan got up to use the bathroom in the early morning. She put on her nightgown and headed for the girls bathroom which was down the hall. But as she walked out of her room she thought she saw someone turn the corner at the end of the hall. It was almost pitch black so she couldn't be sure. She reached the front hall which was where she saw the shadow but there was no one there. She decided she must have imagined it. She went to the bathroom and went back to bed. 

At breakfast that morning she asked, "Did any of you get up this morning around 2:30?"

Her siblings looked at her a little confused and shook their heads. "Why do you ask?" Peter said.

"Well I got up to use the bathroom and I thought I saw someone… but it was almost pitch and I had just woken up, I think I must have imagined it."

"That's strange," said Peter. But they didn't think much on it. After breakfast the boys went to go and help with the town while the girls stayed home again. Lucy seemed to be in a better mood that morning and a few girls their age had joined them to work on quilt. Their names were Margaret and Rachel. They were friends who seemed to be asking quite a few questions about their brothers. But the shadow in the hall kept on slipping into Susan's thoughts throughout the day.

* * *

At dusk the girls sat with their brothers drinking tea in the library. Peter and Susan were considering the farmland that they would need to harvest that spring for the new townspeople. Edmund was reading some novel and Lucy was left to her own thoughts. 

She was thinking of Tumnus… she rarely was thinking of anything else these days. She honestly just wanted her friend back. As if he were summoned Lucy heard hooves in the hall. She left the library to meet him.

She saw him a little down the hallway. "Tumnus!" she called.

He turned around and smiled. Lucy felt like this was a real smile, not the false smile he usually put on when she was around. "Hello Lucy," he said kindly.

She began to walk with him, "So how was your day?"

"It was… hard. Mr.Beaver and I built a house for a family of 10! We managed to finish it in two days because the father and 4 of the sons were helping," he said.

"So they must have had eight children! That's ridiculous," she said amazed.

"I wonder how they remember their names," said Tumnus.

Lucy laughed; it had been a while since Tumnus had made her laugh. "Would you like to join us in the library?" asked Lucy.

Tumnus didn't make eye contact with her. "I was hoping to get into bed early tonight Lucy. Maybe tomorrow," he said.

"Maybe tomorrow?" she felt annoyed that he would make no time for her, "Tumnus I feel as if we haven't talked in ages. Will you promise to spend time with me tomorrow?" She was determined to get to the bottom of his avoidance.

He noticed that her eyebrow was raised and she was looking up at him with her hands on her hips. He laughed at her stubbornness, "Alright Lucy. I'll come back from the village early and have dinner with you. Is that good enough for you?"

She pretended to still be annoyed and sighed heavily, "Oh alright. And don't you forget Mr.Tumnus!" she finally relaxed her face into a smile, "I'll see you then." She turned and walked back into the library to return to her siblings.

* * *

That night Lucy went to bed at the usual time but Susan was up far later than usual. She was reading a novel that was given to her by one of the girls in town. She hadn't been able to put it down since she began. 

She read for hours into the night and finished sometime in the early morning. She blew out the candles and began to doze off thinking about the ending of the book. Being only semi-conscious she thought she heard a creak outside the door. She sat there with her eyes wide open now trying to hear any sound at all. Another tiny creak farther down the hall could be heard. She silently got out of bed and put her silk robe on. She opened her door and she thanked the lord that it didn't creak like it usually did.

She saw the shadow of a hooded figure in the moonlit hallway and began to follow it. Her heartbeat became faster and faster as the excitement began bubbling up. The library door was left ajar and she entered quietly trying to catch the person off guard. She saw through the high cathedral like windows that the sun was beginning to rise but she didn't care. She was determined to find the figure. She stood as quietly as possible in the library waiting for the tiniest sound but she couldn't hear a thing.

Susan sighed, she decided she should return to her room and get ready for the day. She thought that maybe she didn't want to know what lay beneath the hood of the mysterious figure.

* * *

_Please Please Please review!!! I promise I'll update sooner on the next chapter_


	16. Chapter 16

**The Golden Age of Narnia: Chapter 16**

* * *

The October breeze whipped Susan's hair in her face as she rode her horse home from the village where she had been helping. All the houses were built and they were now just finishing the interior so that the families could live in the houses as opposed to their tents when winter came. Many of the smaller families were already living in their new homes. Susan was feeling incredibly sick and had requested she go home, Edmund offered to accompany her. When one of the men from the village had given her a hand getting onto her horse she nearly slipped off the other side and Edmund thought it was best she would ride with him.

About half way there Susan began to feel dizzy and by the time they reached the palace she felt as if she were going to be sick.

"Are you going to be alright Susan?" Edmund asked as he helped her off the horse and held her steady.

She nodded and took in a deep breath, "Mmhm."

"Well you're going straight to bed," he said turning towards the castle. As he began to walk he realized Susan wasn't following, he turned around and saw Susan on the ground. He ran over and tried to wake her, "Susan? Susan!?" Her eyes fluttered open for a moment before she shut them again. He felt her forehead and realized she had a fever, and from what he could tell, a bad one. He gently picked her up and rushed into the house.

"Cecilia!" he shouted, his voice cracked. He heard hooves almost immediately.

Cecilia showed up on the balcony above him and gasped when she saw Susan, "What happened King Edmund?"

"I'm not sure, she's burning up and she passed out a minute ago. Bring the medicines you have on hand to her room and then send Rowen to find a girl named Anne from the village, she's a gardener with red hair. Oh! And have him tell Peter and Lucy that Susan is ill," she curtsied and then hurried off. Edmund continued up the stairs and finally reached Susan's room.

He laid her into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin but he noticed she had begun to shiver despite the extra bed covering. He sat on Lucy's bed trying to calm himself down. Cecilia hurried into the room a few minutes later holding a basket filled with herbs.

"I'm not sure if any of these will work… I'm not a doctor after all," she said nervously.

Edmund nodded, "We'll wait for Anne, she should know how to heal her." Cecilia left and Edmund took a clean hand towel out of the closet and soaked it in cool water. He gently laid it across her forehead and waited for Anne and his siblings.

* * *

Lucy and Peter were sitting with Tumnus on a log eating berries when the squirrel Rowen came running towards them.

The squirrel bowed and then began to speak very quickly, "My High King, my Queen, your sister is ill with a fever at the castle and Edmund has called upon me to send you the message and receive a healer, Anne."

Peter furrowed his eyebrow in concern , "Do you know her condition?"

"Only that she has a fever and that his majesty Edmund is very worried. May I ask where the healer Anne lives?" the Squirrel said.

Peter was looking at the ground in thought so Lucy answered for him, "Yes, her family lives in the white house on the left if you follow this street. And tell her that she can use Susan's horse because I don't believe she has one and we'll be needing to bring it back to the castle anyways," The squirrel bowed before hurrying off.

The two siblings looked at Tumnus, "You go, I'll catch up," Tumnus said. A faun can't ride a horse after all, and Tumnus had gotten used to his slow pace in travel.

Peter nodded, Lucy stood immediately and her brother followed suit, they went to the stable (which had recently been built) and mounted their horses before rushing home.

When they reached the castle and walked through the main gate they saw Cecilia speaking to rowen's mother, Natalie, in the courtyard. They saw their King and Queen and bowed low.

Lucy spoke first, "Have you seen her?"

Cecilia nodded, "I saw her first being carried by your brother, then again in her bed. She didn't look well…" she said in a grave voice. Peter and Lucy exchanged a worried look before entering the castle

They entered the room and joined Edmund on Lucy's bed without saying anything. A few minutes later they heard hooves and saw that Anne had just arrived.

When she reached the room she said, "Out, all of you."

Peter gave looked up at her, incredulous, "Is that how you speak to your Kings and Queen?"

Anne spoke without shame, "You are not my King right now, you are the worried brother of a very sick woman who is my patient. And right now I'm your doctor and I'm telling you that if you stay here you will catch her fever. If you'd like to stay then be my guest but you'll be eating your words in a day or so."

Edmund was impressed at how she spoke to Peter. He was incredibly intimidating when he wanted to be. He stood and was the first to leave before squeezing Susan's hand Peter did the same and Lucy kissed her forehead and whispered something Edmund couldn't hear.

Before he left he turned to Anne, "Thank you Anne. Please tell us how she is regularly."

She nodded before pulling out many strangely colored viles and herbs from her sack and beginning her work.

* * *

Susan was having very strange dreams indeed. Her brothers and sister were playing some strange game with a stick and a ball. They were angry with Ed for some reason and they were wearing strange clothes she noticed. Then they were running…. All over a house… running away from someone.

She was in a room in the dark of the night. A crescent moon was visible through the window. A wardrobe opened and inside was the hooded figure. He smiled at her before running into the wardrobe and Susan followed only to end up walking out of a tent. And there she was in the bright sunshine of the late war camp before the battle against the white witch. Then she saw Thomas walking by. She tried to talk to him but he wouldn't speak. When he finally did make a noise he only mewed.

She was confused but he disappeared too and suddenly it was night and she was watching the death of Aslan all over again only Aslan was just a kitten. Jadis's hand rose and the knife fell. the tears began to stream down her face. She heard a voice behind her say, "Shame… poor little cub" and she knew that the voice belonged to the man under the hood but she couldn't find him. She was angry that he was hiding from her so she started to look for him and the brush started to scratch her legs and face. She wondered where he could have gone but she continued forward anyways. Finally she reached a clearing and she saw her sister dancing with Tumnus. As Susan looked through the gaps in the trees she saw other couples dancing too. She wanted to dance and before she knew it she was dancing in the arms of the hooded man quite content.

The strange dreams continued without cease

* * *

Susan was asleep in her bed under his watchful eyes. She had been in bed for 2 days and had only woken twice long enough for Anne to force her to drink before she fell back into a fitful sleep. But now in the middle of the cool night Susan's fever was beginning to break. And although he didn't know it, she would be waking any moment. But he continued to stand in her doorway and gaze at her, she was beautiful even when she was pale and sick.

Her eyes fluttered open; it was too dark to be noticed by the stranger near the foot of her bed. The man had been haunting her dreams for the past two days so she wasn't surprised to see him… she was awfully tired she realized… if she could only shut her eyes for a moment… But how could she be tired if she were asleep? It was then that she realized this was no longer one of her bizarre dreams, she must be awake. She gasped without thinking and immediately the stranger was gone. She stood up quickly and her vision became black and she fell back onto her bed. She waited for the stars in her eyes to disappear before standing up once more, slower this time, to try to find the man.

She reached the door and went right for no particular reason. She was walking very slowly down the hall. She felt the little strength she had draining from her body with each step. Her head began to spin and she tried to find something to hold steady to but there was nothing. The familiar lightheadedness returned to her and the last thing she remembered was 2 strong arms catching her as her vision went black.

* * *

When Susan awoke again it was an hour's past. She wondered if it actually had been a dream but the hooded figure was sitting in the window, one knee pulled up to his chest with his hand gently resting on his knee, the moon silhouetted behind him with the foliage beneath. Lucy's bed was between the two of them, empty. Susan kept her head and didn't gasp this time but he must have heard her move because he looked over.

"Welcome back," he said. The only visible part of his face was his mouth; everything else was hidden in the shadow of his hood. At the moment it was curved into a small smile.

She sat for a moment and considered how she was supposed to answer that. Strangely enough, she wasn't scared or even excited. She was oddly calm. She decided to ignore the comment and get straight to the point, "Who are you?"

He laughed quietly to himself and then turned and looked out of the window once more. Susan, annoyed by his ignoring her, carefully got out of bed and sat on the edge of Lucy's to be closer to him. He tore his eyes away from the starry sky and looked at the queen. Susan could just barely see the glint of his eyes under the hood as they gazed at her.

"You don't look well my dear," he said, his smile fading slightly. He placed a hand on her cheek, then on her forehead, "Not well at all." His voice was smooth and sweet, it brought comfort to Susan despite the bizarre events of the night. It was the oddest sensation to be sitting with the man who had rarely left the young Queen's mind for the past month. Not only this, but he was speaking to her as if there was nothing strange about this situation. "I'll admit though, you look better then you did an hour ago," he said smiling once more.

Susan was still trying to wrap her head around the situation but she managed to remember passing out in the hall, "So you brought me hear after I fainted?"

"Yes, why were you out of bed. You're terribly ill," he said.

"Well it was you that was in my bedroom in the middle of the night," she said defensively, "I was just going to find you so I could call the guards!"

The man laughed once more, "You weren't going to call the guards on me."

It was true, but Susan didn't want him to know it, "And why do you think that?"

He turned to her and smiled, "Because my queen, you have no guards," he laughed.

She blushed, embarrassed, "Well that still doesn't explain why you were in a lady's chambers at such an hour."

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," he said. He took her hand in both of his. He leaned in before saying, more concerned this time, "Are you alright?"

Her pale face flushed with color at his touch, "Y-Yes…" she said nervously.

"Well then," he smiled, raised her hand up to his face and kissed her palm, "I'll say goodnight." He stood and walked towards the door.

As he was about to leave Susan stopped him, "Is this a dream?"

The hooded man looked back, "If it is a dream, then I shall not want to wake from it." He left Susan on that note, to her own thoughts.

* * *

_A/N: So I wasn't intending on putting this whole Susan x 'Hooded Figure' scenario so early in the story. Some parts of this could use some serious improvement but I really wanted to get a chapter up since it's been so long. Hope you like it!_


	17. Chapter 17

**The Golden Age of Narnia**

**Chapter 17**

It had been a week since Susan had spoken to the hooded man face to face and she still wasn't entirely sure it had happened at all. According to Anne and her siblings she had been thrashing and mumbling in her sleep for three days with a raging fever. How could she be sure what was a hallucination and what was reality? She had been thinking it over all week trying to understand what had really happened but she just couldn't be sure of anything.

Edmund and Lucy left after breakfast to go to the village. So Peter offered to stay home and spend time with her. He had just come in with a plate of sandwiches, a jug of Lemonade and a book tucked under his arm.

"I hope you didn't try to make those… you remember the last time you tried to cook?" they both laughed.

"I try not to," he said smiling, "And no, Cecilia made these… I did however pick out the book."

The book was weathered and the binding was peeling off in places. The title was too worn out to read. "What is it?"

He smiled mischievously, "Ghost stories!"

"Ghost stories?" he nodded, "Well are they very scary?"

"I don't know, I've never read them… but I figured if anyone should sample them it should be you and I. We are after all the elder King and Queen of this land…. You aren't afraid of a silly ghost are you Su?" she smiled to herself thinking of the hooded figure.

"No, I think I'll survive."

Susan settled back in her chair with a sandwich and glass of lemonade. Peter began to read the first one while lounging on the couch opposite her chair. The first story was about a violent ghost who was haunting the man who married his wife after he passed away. It was quite frightening at moments but Susan didn't mind. In fact Peter reading to her was quite relaxing. He had a warm smooth voice and she found herself dosing off towards the beginning of the second one.

She woke up to Peter gently nudging her shoulder. She sat up quickly and became dizzy before leaning back once more.

"Peter I'm so sorry…. Don't be angry with me, I didn't mean to fall asleep I just…." Her sentence trailed off as she began to fall asleep again.

Peter smiled sweetly at his slightly conscious sister. "I'm not mad! Of course you fell asleep. You're sick!"

"Mm…" she said her eyes drooping shut again.

"Here I'll get you into bed," he said



"Yes please do that,"

…

She didn't move

"Well you have to help!" he said getting a little annoyed.

She looked up at him groggily, "But you said you'd do it."

He looked at her exasperated, "Well what do you expect me to do? Carry you across the castle?"

She smiled and nodded vigorously her eyes still shut. "oh you've got to be kidding me…"

"Edmund did it and he had to carry me up stairs!" She whined.'

"Yes but you had just passed out when Edmund carried you… and also he likes you more then I do." Peter finished smirking.

"Well aren't you just the sweetest older brother I've ever had!" she said willing herself to wake up at this point.

"I'm your only older brother,"

"Exactly," she said.

He sighed exasperated, "Well now I feel guilty!" he said, she didn't respond but let him watch her fruitless attempts to standup, "Oh fine!"

She smiled and let him pick her up wedding style as he grudgingly carried her out of the room. "You're pretty heavy for a dainty queen, you know that?"

"If I weren't so tired you'd pay for that comment" she said.

"Oh I would would I?" he said laughing.

She hummed in response. After a few minutes they ran into Thomas, "Peter, how on earth did she convince you to do that?" He asked chuckling.

"I'm not sure really, but she's sick so I figure she can get away with it atleast until she's better," he said.

Thomas smiled up at Susan, "Well you look lovely my queen, far better then you did last week," he said. Susan smiled.

Finally they reached her room and Peter laid Susan into bed.

"Peter?" she asked.



"Hm?"

"Do you believe in ghosts?" she asked sleepily.

Peter laughed, "Well I don't know…"

She sat up a little in bed, "No, I'm serious. Do you think that someone can actually come back after they've died?"

Peter sat on Lucy's bed in thought, "Well… I suppose anything's possible… but, in all honesty, I don't think there are such things as ghosts. Do you believe in them?"

She thought for a moment, before saying hesitantly, "I don't know."

Peter smiled, "Well alright, get some sleep. I'll come back later with some supper."

The cool autumn day seemed to radiate beauty as Lucy and Tumnus walked along the side road in the village lined with trees. The only thing left to be finished was Town Square; it would eventually have a market place, a pub, a church, etc. They had been walking in silence enjoying the perfect day when Tumnus broke the silence.

"I suppose this is the last thing to be done?" he said.

"Yes, and soon we'll be unveiling the monument in the center of Town and declaring the village finished," she said.

It remained silent for quite some time, they were both thinking the same thing. They had been dancing around the subject of Tumnus leaving for days now and still hadn't addressed it. They hadn't talked about Tumnus leaving for the west since they had that slightly disastrous walk in the starlight. Tumnus felt it was as good a time as ever to bring it up.

"Lucy, you know I'm leaving soon," he said quietly.

Her expression didn't change but Tumnus could see her physically stiffen. "Yes, I know." There was a long stretch of silence as they continued to walk. They had only recently gotten things back to normal in their friendship and they only had a precious few weeks before he had to leave once more for his home.

Tumnus at first felt that Lucy was taking this better then he expected, then he glanced over and saw the tears sparkling in her eyes. He took her hands in his and stopped walking, "Now why the tears?" he said gently squeezing her hands.

She looked down the tears falling freely, "Last time you went back home I didn't see you for 3 years, how am I to have any idea when I'll see you again?" she said, her voice stuffy from the tears.

It broke his heart to see her this way, he hated to see her hurt. He took her chin in his hand and lifted her face up so she would look at him. Her watery eyes met his hazel ones and he smiled sweetly, 

"Lucy you know that won't happen again. I promise I'll come and visit you whenever I have the chance." He gently brushed a tear off her cheek.

"You said that last time and yet you disappeared for years!" the tears slid down her face as she looked up at him, a pathetically sad expression on her face.

Tumnus felt like crying just watching this girl that he loved so dearly feel so much pain because of him. "Lucy, I promise that we won't be apart long. I'm not going to be able to stand it for a day nonetheless three years, do you believe that?" She smiled weakly and nodded. "Good," he said before pressing his lips to her forehead and continuing their walk hand in hand.

Susan woke up in what she assumed was the middle of the night. The crescent moon shone bright high above the treetops outside her window. She could hear Lucy's deep breathing somewhere to her left and could just barely make out her sleeping form under her mass of blankets, Lucy always needed extra quilts.

_Well what am I supposed to do now?_ She thought. _I guess this is what you get when you go to bed at 2 o'clock in the afternoon._ She tossed and turned for another half an hour trying to get back to sleep but it was no use. She saw a tray of cold beef, potatoes and green beans on her bedside table, probably the Supper Peter had promised to bring. It was this that reminded her of the Ghost Stories he had read to her that afternoon, and this in turn made her think of the hooded figure.

She stood next to her bed, put on her dressing gown and sofly closed the door behind her as she left so as to not wake Lucy. She tiptoed throughout the castle looking in every place she could imagine, just waiting to hear the rustle of his cloak or the tap of a man's boot from around the corner. But nothing came. Just as Susan was beginning to give up, she stepped into Peter's private library and heard the door snap shut behind her.

There he was, standing in front of her, as solid as the marble she stood on.

* * *

_a/n: Bit of a cliffhanger : / sorry for the wait, but my exams are over and I'm finally getting out of these funky transition chapters. I actually have 4 chapters already written that take place about a year and a half after this. And also this whole SusanxHooded Figure is proving to be really difficult to write so once I get through this plot bunny I'll be able to update pretty regularly._


	18. Chapter 18

**The Golden Age of Narnia**

**Chapter 18**

_There he was, standing in front of her, as solid as the marble she stood on._

"Why do you follow me?" he asked smiling.

She couldn't help but feel slightly hypnotized by his creamy voice and devilish smile, "Why do you hide from me?" she asked defensively.

He laughed quietly before cocking his head and observing her from under his hood, "I asked you first," he said playfully.

Susan looked at him, deciding how to answer. Finally she said, "I was curious…"

"Curiosity killed the cat you know," he said smile widening.

"Well that's a risk I'm willing to take," she said boldly. He laughed before leaving the door, leaving her route out completely clear. She took it as a sign that he was beginning to trust her. He began to walk around the room observing the books as he spoke to her.

"So don't you want to know the answer to your question?" he asked her as he glanced at the book titles along the shelves.

"And what was that?" she said finding his nonchalance intoxicating.

"Why I hide," he said.

"I guess," she said, "Though that's one of many questions you'll have to be answering," she said this time with a more commanding tone in her voice.

He turned and looked expectantly, "Alright, fire away my queen." He leaned back against the wall his hands behind his back.

"Who are you?" said Susan.

He paused for a long time trying to think of an answer. Finally he smiled and said, "A ghost of a man that once was," he said. After a moment he laughed to himself as if it were a joke that only he understood.

"So you're a ghost?" she said. This had been one of her earlier suspicions but seeing the man now, he seemed so real that the plausibility of him being a ghost had slipped her mind.

"No! Didn't you hear what I said?" he said.

"Yes of course I heard what you said, you said you were a ghost…" she said.

"Yes, a ghost of a man that once was…" he said.

"And that means… ?" she prompted, her hands on her hips.

"It means exactly what I said," he said highly enjoying her annoyance.

"Alright, why don't you tell me who you really are," she said sternly.

He put down the book he had been perusing, "My name isn't important."

She was a little puzzled, "Well every name is important, it's what defines you as a person!"

"Yes, exactly," he said his smile fading.

"Then why won't you tell me your name?" she asked cautiously.

"I wouldn't want to give you a name that would define me as a person… because this is not who I am," he said matter of factly.

"I don't understand," Susan said.

"I don't want you identifying my name, a representation of who I really am, with who I am now. Does that make sense?" he asked.

"Not entirely," she said.

His smile returned but less vibrant this time, "Never mind, it's unimportant."

Silence fell between them as Susan surveyed the hooded man, still in the dark. "Alright then… Why are you here, in the castle," she asked.

"Well I live here," he said bluntly.

"You live here…. Here in my palace?" she asked. He shrugged before looking up at the room and nodding his head. "And who authorized this?"

"No one informed me authorization was necessary!" he said in mock-defense. "You should really tell the inhabitants of the castle when authorization is necessary."

"The 'Inhabitants of the castle'?" she said sarcastically, "Does that include my siblings, the fauns… and oh yes, that creepy stranger who wanders the halls at night standing in girls doorways while they sleep?" she continued biting back a laugh.

The tension from before broke as he began to laugh, and then she started to laugh and once they finally composed themselves the hooded man said, "Yes, you've got it right," he said still trying to contain his laughter. "Anymore questions for me?" he asked looking at her, his genuine smile back.

"Well answer my first question," she said.

"And what was that?" he asked.

"Why you hide."

"I suppose I like my privacy," he said shrugging.

Susan snorted, "I find that hard to believe."

His smile faded slightly, "And why is that?"

Susan looked at him incredulously, "Well it was you that lured me out of my bedroom twice before you actually entered into my chambers whilst I was asleep. And it was you who waited in my bedroom for me to wake when you had no business being there in the first place. If anything it is you who has been invading my privacy," she finished feeling triumphant though afraid he might be angry.

"Hmm, you have some valid points… but I didn't ask you to leave your chambers at all. It was you who seeked me out on multiple occasions. The only time I revealed myself to you without being prompted, as I have tonight, was when I was checking to see if you were well while you were ill. So begging your pardon my mistress, but it is you invading my privacy, except of course when I was checking to see if you were still ill," he said calmly but with a sort of finality that Susan knew she couldn't contradict.

It was true of course, but she wasn't going to admit it. Instead she changed the subject, "Why were you worried about me in the first place?"

He smiled at her, "Why wouldn't I be?"

She hated how he never simply gave her a straight answer, "Well, you don't know me?"

He chuckled, "Oh I know you."

Her hands returned to her hips, "Oh you do, do you?"

"Susan Pevensie, Queen of Narnia. Sister of Peter, Edmund and Lucy," he said.

"Yes, you and everyone in Narnia knows that… But you don't know anything _real _about me," she said.

He smiled at her, "I wouldn't be so sure about that." She gave him an expectant look, "Alright then. Where to begin? You specialize in the bow. Your favorite color is indigo," he said.

"You could have asked anyone what my favorite color is. It doesn't mean you know me," she said her arms folded across her chest.

He paused before saying, "Out of all your siblings you feel most protective of Edmund because you know deep down he's still a child in a man's body," she stared blankly at him, "Peter may need your advice at times, and Lucy may go astray occasionally but you feel most devoted as a guidance to him."

"You like to be alone, but you hate it when you _have_ to be alone," he said. Now his voice was softer, "You love your siblings more then anything, but you're craving something else… something different. You long to be with a man, and yet with all of these groveling townspeople, you seem drawn to me of all people… the one man in Narnia who runs from you," he finished, he had sat down halfway through his speech.

Susan felt incredibly strange. The man had been correct in everything he had said, but some of the things she hadn't even admitted to herself none the less anyone she knew. She stared at the man for the longest time before finally speaking, "How did you know those things?"

He smiled that beautiful smile before standing up. "I know you Susan," he said walking towards her. As he walked past her to leave the room he held her hand lightly and whispered in her ear, "I'm done running. And if I could stay forever I would," he placed the lightest of kisses on her cheek, "Goodbye, for now." He let go of her hand and left.

Susan stood their, shocked from the things he knew and dazed from the kiss. _Such a sweet kiss_! She thought to herself. When she finally gathered her thoughts she walked out of the room and into the hall. The early morning sun was just rising, sunshine spilling through the high windows making everything glow. Susan breathed deep and took in the beauty. She wondered if everything just seemed more beautiful now that he was in her world.

* * *

_a/n: Quite the smooth one isn't he? Well although you probably don't read author's notes let me just say... I've told you alot more then you think. mysterious right? Well you figure it out yourselves. Sorry about the Susan focus! Next chapter's gonna be about all of them_


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